--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Delhi: Protests continue in Jammu and Katra for the second day against the decision to charge an entry fee for quick darshans at the Vaishno Devi shrine. The decision to organise paid darshans was taken by the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board on Sunday. Now a traditional mata ki aarti can be organised inside the sanctum sanctorum at Rs 1000. And those who are unwilling to wait in long queue can enter the shrine by paying an entry fee of Rs 500 or Rs 200. This reduces the darshan time by over 50 to 70 per cent.
The critics point out that this would help the affluent class. Facing flak over its decision to introduce paid darshans, the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board stoutly defended its move saying that the new facility was meant for those people who had little time due to their hectic schedules and wanted to complete the pilgrimage at the earliest, a Shrine Board official said.
"The facility is like a tatkal service for devotees who have tight schedules and are keen to offer prayers at the earliest," M K Dwivedi, Additional Chief Executive Officer, told PTI. The facility, introduced on June one, will be limited to 1000 pilgrims per day though 25,000 to 30,000 devotees arrive daily to offer prayers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lately some people have started viewing religion and God as commercial ventures and are playing with emotions and started raking in the moolah. If people refuse to pay and stop going over there, naturally the demand falls down triggering the lowering and abolishment of any fee. Its high time that people who are religious get to know the fact that God is omni present and can be accessible near you :D
