With the fate of 32 Machail Mata pilgrims who went missing in the cloudburst at Kishtwar more than a month ago still unknown, the pilgrimage to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine (SMVDS) resumed on Wednesday after three weeks.
The cloudburst on August 14 at Chashoti killed 65 Machail Mata pilgrims and left several others injured. In the incident, 167 pilgrims were rescued, while 32 went missing.
Body parts of some of the missing were recovered during early rescue efforts, yet no trace has been found of the remaining pilgrims.
Searches continue along the riverbanks to see if bodies may be trapped under rocks or carried downstream.
Experts fear that many bodies may already have decomposed or drifted to inaccessible areas. For the families, the wait has been painful. They camped at the site for days, hoping to carry the remains of their kin for last rites.
The pilgrimage to SMVDS resumed this morning at 6 a.m. after three weeks, following the killing of 34 pilgrims and injuries to 22 others on August 26.
The cloudburst occurred during heavy monsoon rains in August, which left more than 130 people, mostly pilgrims, dead and injured dozens.
The rains, cloudbursts and landslides also damaged property and infrastructure.
They also washed away roads and damaged defence installations along the International Border and Line of Control. The rains further damaged the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, a key link that connects Kashmir with the rest of India.
The Board managing SMVDS faced serious criticism for the death of pilgrims in the cloudburst en route to the shrine, including from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Questions were raised as to why the Board did not stop the pilgrimage in view of the extreme weather conditions.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairman of the Board, later announced a probe by a three-member team. The team will give its report in two weeks.
The resumption of pilgrimage was announced by the Board this morning, bringing cheers to the faces of many devotees who were camping in Katra town – the base camp for pilgrims visiting the shrine.
The pilgrimage resumed from Banganga Darshani Gate, with devotees expressing joy at its restart.
Pilgrims have been advised to carry valid identification and follow designated pathways. They have been asked to cooperate with on-ground staff, the officials said, adding that Radio Frequency Identity Card (RFID)-based tracking remains mandatory for transparency and traceability. The pilgrimage is likely to peak during the Navratri festival from September 22 till October 1.
