Shillong, Aug 6: The Assistant Rangbah Shnong of Mawsynram, Hiamdor Rapsang on Wednesday reiterated the village dorbar’s stand regarding the Mawjymbuin Cave, asserting that while the site remains open to all visitors, it is not to be treated as a place of worship.
The controversy stems from a long-standing dispute with a pilgrimage group that has, since last year, been seeking permission to conduct a religious yatra to the site. Hiamdor stated that the Mawsynram Dorbar Shnong has consistently maintained that the cave is a popular tourist destination and not a religious shrine.
“We have never objected to anyone visiting the cave. Our only concern is that no religious rituals should be conducted inside. Last year, the yatra was called off because we did not provide a No Objection Certificate (NOC),” he said.
However, this year the pilgrimage society approached the court and sought permission to carry out the yatra, assuring that no rituals would be performed except for the act of pouring water on the stone inside the cave. The dorbar maintained that even such an act constitutes a ritual, but the court allowed the group to proceed under that condition.
“We respect and accept the court’s ruling, even if we don’t agree with it. But this entire episode has compelled us to re-evaluate the situation,” Hiamdor said.
On August 3, during the pilgrimage group’s visit to the cave, tensions reportedly arose when a tourist group from Kolkata was asked to remove their footwear before entering. According to Hiamdor, the Dorbar Shnong has never enforced such a rule for tourists, and the directive came from the pilgrimage group, not the local authorities.
“The tourists refused to comply as their purpose was purely sightseeing. They later came and complained about the incident. This kind of confusion not only inconveniences visitors but also undermines the authority of the Dorbar Shnong as custodians of the cave,” he added.
The Assistant Rangbah Shnong stressed the need for a serious internal discussion moving forward to prevent further conflict and ensure that tourists are not left confused about who governs the site.
“The Mawjymbuin Cave is under the jurisdiction of the Mawsynram Dorbar Shnong. The emergence of other groups asserting authority over the space complicates things and creates unnecessary tension,” he said.
The Dorbar is now expected to deliberate on the future handling of such events and is likely to seek more clarity on the status and regulation of religious activities at the site.
