it is very sad that in India in most of the famous pilgrimage centres, whether it is Tirupati, Kanakadurga or Sabarimala devotees throng in particular season or days and the crowd becomes uncontrollable in the limited space available. This is particularly due to the barricades created outside as well as inside the temple premises and the push and pull becomes unbearable, leaving the devotees stranded within the barricades. During this season, I am told, in Sabarimala (a hill shrine in south Kerala)witnesses lakhs and lakhs of devotees and every year there are a dozen deaths happening due to stampede, heart attacks etc. Devotion and belief cannot be at the cost of other's liveds. self discipline and patience is utmost important when deveotees undertakes pilgrimage.
RE:SaraNagati
by H. E. Shashidhar on Jan 03, 2008 11:37 AM Permalink
If only we can learn to keep some space between people, not push, stand in line, one behind or by the side of another without touching. We will be a GREAT community. This is too theoritical but in other countries, people give one another some space, be it a railway station or a pizza restaurant. Just stand in line and not push each other. So simple.
RE:SaraNagati
by anirban chakraborty on Jan 03, 2008 10:01 AM Permalink
Nice mesg. But you are talking about self-discipline and patience - the two most difficult virtues to imbibe. It is easier to rant out God's name at the slightest instance, but to actually live upto a good life is so very difficult. (This is true for ppl of all kinds of religion on earth)
RE:SaraNagati
by Murthy KVVKSN on Jan 03, 2008 10:38 AM Permalink
The messages are very nice. However, in most of the temples, the stampede does not occur due to the piligrims alone. I have observed at many crowded temples is done in 2 ways. (1) Pushing by piligrims themselves and (2) by temple authorities or the people who wanted to make the queue move faster. If these two are managed well, the piligrims would not face these difficulties.
