The Meghalaya High Court today gave the Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram time till August 14 to come up with a solution with regard to the request for the No Objection Certificate (NOC) by a Hindu group for conducting the annual pilgrimage to Mawjymbuin Cave.
The High Court’s bench of Justice Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew was hearing the writ petition filed by Yatra, a registered society, challenging the refusal by Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram to allow for conducting the annual Hindu pilgrimage to the cave.
The Rangbah Shnong, Assistant Rangbah Shnong and Secretary of Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram were also present at the court during the hearing as also East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Rosetta M. Kurbah and Superintendent of Police Sylvester Nongtynger.
During the hearing, the Rangbah Shnong of Mawsynram sought time from the court to try and resolve the issue.
Justice Thangkhiew in his order passed today listed the matter for hearing on August 14 to enable the Dorbar Shnong and the district administration to inform the court with regard to their decision.
“This court expects that an amicable solution be arrived at before the next date,” Justice Thangkhiew said.
With this decision by the court, the proposed pilgrimage to Mawjymbuin Cave on August 10 and 11 is set to be postponed.
Last week, the Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram informed that it would not allow Hindu devotees from offering prayers at the Mawjymbuin Cave, which is famous for the stone structure that naturally forms into what the Hindu faithful believe to be a “Shivling”.
The Dorbar Shnong also said that no religious rituals would be allowed at the site since it is a tourist spot.
Following this, Yatra filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the refusal by Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram to allow for conducting the annual Hindu pilgrimage to the cave.
At the High Court hearing held yesterday, S Jindal, lawyer for Yatra, told the court that the annual pilgrimage (yatra) to Mawjymbuin cave has been a continuing affair and from 2011 onwards, with the formation of the society it was made more structured and organised.
Jindal also pointed out the permissions earlier granted from 2011 onwards issued by the district administration till 2023 and stated that the Dorbar Shnong on all these occasions has also issued the necessary NOC and permission, and that whatsoever conditions that have been prescribed in the NOC have been strictly followed.
He further told the court that this year the first permission had been obtained on June 27 from the district administration with the condition that the organisers should obtain an NOC from the Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram.
According to Jindal, in spite of reaching out to the Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram, there was no response and that Yatra only came to know about the rejection of the NOC through the media.
He further told the High Court that there is no attempt whatsoever to establish any place of worship as has been reported and that throughout the years, the only act that has been done is to sprinkle water on the lingam (stone) and that there is no intention to hurt the sentiments or create any disturbances whatsoever in the place.
