The '84 kosi parikrama', an important event in Ayodhya has been cancelled this year due to the surge in COVID19 cases.
The about 250-kilometre-long circumambulation around what is believed to be the spread of Lord Ram’s empire was held at a much smaller scale last year due to the start of the pandemic. This year’s event, which was to start on April 27 stands cancelled completely.
Surendra Singh, the in-charge of the yatra said that it was a unanimous decision of the Hanuman Mandal, under whose banner the yatra is held, that it must be cancelled in view of the fresh rise in COVID-19 cases. “This decision has been taken well in advance so that seers from different parts of the country do not set off from their hometowns in anticipation of the yatra”, he said.
In March 2020, the yatra, which usually sees about 2,000 saints from around the country participate in it, had happened only in symbolic form with just a few locals participating in it. While many join the yatra for its entire stretch, others join the 16-17 day event for a defined distance. This swells the number of total participants in the event.
Sharad Sharma, the Ayodhya-based Vishwa Hindu Parishad spokesperson, said, “The country is above religion. Traditions can be followed only if people remain healthy. Officially the yatra stands cancelled, but we cannot stop any locals from undertaking it symbolically”.
The yatra traditionally begins as a congregation at Kar Sewakpuram and ends on the banks of the Saryu river.
Sharma said, “The VHP has always placed the concerns of society foremost. Saints from around the country wait through a whole year for the yatra which is a great symbol of social solidarity and a cultural heritage. To ensure that it continues unabated is our duty. However, a greater duty is to keep society safe and healthy. The suspension of the yatra is a decision taken for the larger good”.
