It’s a pilgrimage center and it should remain so

Indians have a long-standing penchant of leaving their mark on iconic monuments and holy sites. The Taj Mahal, the Red Fort and other famous landmarks are adorned with graffiti, a testament to the reverence and admiration Indians have for these places. Given that the level of public knowledge and public awareness is already low, it would be unwise to convert a sacred pilgrimage site into a tourist attraction.

The Jharkhand government turned Sammed Shikharji into a tourist place

On January 1st, 2023, members of the Jain community gathered in the national capital to protest against the Jharkhand government’s decision to turn Shri Sammed Shikharji, one of the most important Jain pilgrimage sites, into an eco-tourist spot. Led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the Jharkhand government had previously announced that Shri Sammed Shikharji would become a tourist attraction.

The Jain community members were dismayed by the decision as they consider the site to be of extreme religious significance. It is believed that twenty of the twenty-four Tirthankaras (spiritual leaders of the Jain faith) attained salvation at Sammed Shikharji.

They staged a peaceful rally in Delhi, demanding that the decision to be reversed and the sanctity of the sacred site be preserved.

Delhi | Members of the Jain community protest at India Gate against the decision of the Jharkhand govt to declare ‘sacred’ Shri Sammed Shikharji a tourist place pic.twitter.com/6WCKHq3UII

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2023

Protestors raised the slogan “Sammed Shikhar Hamara Hai” and chanted mantras in videos circulating on social media.

Jains are chanting the holy namokaar mantra, during the peaceful protest against the declaration of Shri Sammed ShikharJi as a tourist place, at The India Gate pic.twitter.com/fUN2Irnllt

— Shubham Jain (@some_shubham) January 1, 2023

At the same time, The Jain community in Mumbai was taking a stand against the perceived desecration of a temple in Palitana, Gujarat as well as the Jharkhand government’s decision. The Shetrunjaya Hills near Palitana city is believed to be a sacred site for Shwetambara Jains, boasting 865 Jain temples.

In response, the Gujarat government launched an investigation to ascertain the facts of the incident.

Maharashtra | Members of Jain community protest in Mumbai against the decision of Jharkhand govt to declare ‘Shri Sammed Shikharji’ a tourist place and vandalisation of their temple in Palitana, Gujarat pic.twitter.com/FPYIKKTv0E

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2023

Mangal Prabhat Lodha, a Maharashtra MP, to joined the protests in the state and shared his sentiments with ANI, expressing his support for the cause.

He said “We are protesting against the vandalisation of the temple in Palitana and the Jharkhand government’s decision. The Gujarat government has taken action, but we want stricter punishments against those who vandalised the temple. More than 5 lakh people are currently on the streets.”

We are protesting against the vandalisation of the temple in Palitana & Jharkhand govt’s decision. The Gujarat govt has taken action but we want strict action against them (who vandalised the temple). Today more than 5 lakh people are on the streets: Maharashtra Min MP Lodha pic.twitter.com/ViH8kKLjJb

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2023

Difference between tourist spot and pilgrimage site

Tourist and pilgrimages sites have always been different. People in power need to understand the gap between two and give a serious thought before declaring any pilgrimage site into tourist one. Tourist sites attract people to spend quality time with friends and family to celebrate and relax. Whereas, at pilgrimage people go to seek blessings from their deities. They sites have purity. To maintain the aura of such places and their sanctity, traditional rituals are what is needed not a pool of people to hang over the place to mess with the pious structure.

So, if the stance does not change, the sacred hill area may soon become a destination for those who are looking to partake in activities that are not in line with the spiritual nature of the location.

Notably, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has also expressed its solidarity with the Jain community in their efforts to safeguard the sanctity of the Parshwanath hill.

The VHP stated that they are committed to protecting pilgrimage sites across India. It has declared that no activities involving the sale or consumption of meat or drugs should be allowed in the vicinity of the hill. The VHP also calls for the entire Parshwanath hill to be designated as a holy site (teerth).

The Centre and state governments should recognize that religious sites with cultural or historical significance should be differentiated from tourist destinations. Unfortunately, some places of worship like ‘Kedarnath’ demonstrate that without proper management, have over time become overcrowded and overburdened. It is important to ensure that these sites do not turn into tourist dumpyards. These locations need to be properly monitored and preserved as they are very important for the Indian civilisation.