By Shankar Kr. Turha
Nestled amidst the quaint hamlet, Mawjymbuin Cave in Mawsynram has become an important space of pilgrimage for followers of Hinduism during the month of ‘sawan’ in Meghalaya, with thousands thronging the place to attain spiritual salvation during the annual Bol Bam Yatra or Kanwar Yatra.
The cave, famous for its naturally formed ‘Shivalinga’, draws hordes of tourists and pilgrims from across the state and the country who pay their obeisance to Lord Shiva as part of the Kanwar Yatra celebration.
A few years back, the natural formation (Shivalinga) inside the cave was discovered as a site after which it became known to the public. In the course of time, they gave the place a religious tag… one where the divine resides, to be worshipped in times to come.
With the passage of time, the giant stalagmite inside the cave has turned the spot into a sacred shrine. Thousands of devotees are seen walking barefoot to reach the cave.
It is significant to note that the people of the city have made the annual pilgrimage a ritual to be rigorously followed every year, organised through proper planning by Team Yatra since 2006. Running into its 17th year in 2023, it has seen an increasing number of Kanwariyas taking on the journey every year.
This year, the Bol Bam Yatra started on August 19 from Mahadev Khola temple in Shillong, with the holy month coming to a close. Thousands reached the temple premises for the ritual that has to be observed before the Kanwariyas start afoot on the 60 km journey to Mawsynram.
They are seen in reverential prayer before embarking on a journey that promises to remove all ills from life, paving way for a meaningful, contained and divine life… one that holds even a chance at salvation.
The responsibility of organising this journey lies with the Yatra committee comprising of members from diverse backgrounds who manage everything from making travel arrangements to lodging for the pilgrims.
The idea of the pilgrimage at Mawsynram was conceived 17 years back with 56 Kanwarias; numbers have increased subsequently over the years. This year, the number stands to 604 .
Providing details of the process, one of the members (on the condition of anonymity) said that it starts with filling the form, which is available at two to three places. “Members have to fill up the details in the form, which outlines things that are allowed and not allowed at the Mawjymbuin Cave. The pilgrims have to declare that and undertake Dos and Don’ts before being eligible for the Yatra.”
On the collaborative spirit of the village headmen in allowing the journey to Mawsynram, an interesting picture emerged. While simultaneously accommodating faith and promoting tourism, restrictions have been imposed at the entry point, in recent years.
“While our journey to Mawjymbuin Cave revolves around faith, we want the local villagers to relax things and allow us to perform the rituals with ease, rather than imposing restrictions,” the member said.
Walking with the sea of people is an experience in itself. One gets to see the meticulous planning with regards to transportation, lodging and fooding, among others. Everyone is equally involved in the affair.
Pilgrims, in the course of their journey, halt at Phanniewlahneng, some 30 kilometres from Shillong. The organising committee feeds about 7000-8000 people (approximately). That said, following certain restrictions, food was disallowed this year.
Another person, a founding member of the organising committee requested anonymity before revealing more details about the Mawsynram pilgrimage. He informed that the entire process starts with the Deputy Commissioner giving the permission – the same procedure is followed every year.
Overall, he said, the team works to ensure convenience to the pilgrims/devotees undertaking the journey.
Speaking about the restrictions, one of the pilgrims expressed dissatisfaction with the arrangements at the site, while praising the journey to reach the cave.
“This time we had to stand in a queue, which was not the case in the previous years. Devotees would just go to the cave and offer water to the Shivalinga. This time, however, only 15 people were allowed at a time, leaving the pilgrims standing in queue for hours,” the Kunwar said, adding that vehicles were stopped two kilometres before the cave, which posed problems to the elderly.
Spaces like the Mawjymbuin Cave make for interesting stories… one that cannot always be explained through logic, yet the promise of co-existence of spiritual ideas unites those seeking bliss. In doing so, human nature assigns meaning to natural elements.