The Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram issue of Mawjymbuin Cave will present its stand tomorrow at the Meghalaya High Court on how to settle the contentious issue related to Hindu pilgrimage and rituals at the Mawjymbuin Cave.
The High Court bench of Justice Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew will hear the case tomorrow afternoon. The Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram will be represented by senior lawyer Vivan Kynta.
It may be mentioned that the High Court on August 8 had given 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.
Yatra, a registered society, moved the High Court through a writ petition challenging the refusal by Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram to allow for conducting the annual Hindu pilgrimage to the cave.
During the hearing, the Rangbah Shnong of Mawsynram sought time from the court to try and resolve the issue.
While listing 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, Justice Thangkhiew said, “This court expects that an amicable solution will be arrived at before the next date.”
Recently, the Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram informed that it would not allow Hindu devotees to offer 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.
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.
