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Pilgrimage Amarnath Yatra is organized every year by the J&K government during the month of shravan (July and August).there is not any fixed date for the start of the Pilgrimage. The starting date of the pilgrimage varies every year as it is set according to the Poornima (Rakhsha Bandan)in the month of Sharavan and the weather conditions.

Destination Amarnath cave is one of the oldest temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and is situated almost at the height of   3888 m from the sea level. It is about 150 feet high and 90 feet long and about 145 east of Srinagar in Kashmir. It is one of of the popular most popular pilgrimage destination for Hindus and more than 50,0000 devotees visit the holy cave during the month of the Sharavan. The cave opens only in July and August.

Problems It is the Rainy season so the pilgrims have to face the uncertain and unpredictable weather conditions. The trek the most arduous way to reach their destination, the holy Amarnath Cave. Though the original pilgrimage subscribes that the Yatra be undertaken from Srinagar but most of he people prefer to start their journey from Chandanwadi to the Cave and come back in five days. Except the uncertain weather conditions they also brave the militant threats that has always dared to disrupt the Yatra.

Belief According to the Hindu mythology Amarnath is the cave where Lord Shiva had narrated the secret of immortality to Goddess Parvati. It is said that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati during their journey to Amarnath, left all they have in the way to ensure that no one listened to the secret. But  a pair of doves eavesdropped on the conversion and learned the secret so they are reborn again and again. It is said they had made the cave their eternal abode. Many pilgrims report seeing the pair of doves .

Lingams Pilgrims trek the arduous route to pay obeisance before the ice-Lingam. The Shiva Lingam is a natural formation of ice stalagmite in the form of Lingam. Shiva Lingam grows and shrinks with the phases of the moon. By its side are two more ice formations that represent Parvati and Ganesh. People here have a face to face communion with the gods.

For pilgrims it is a soul stirring journey during which one experiences a higher state of spirituality.

Entertainment With the evolution of science and technology the entertainment sources have changed. New entertainment sources like TV, Cinema has almost put other entertainment sources very behind of it. In the older times people used to entertain them selves in the various ways. It included games, hunting, wrestling, folk songs dances etc. Most of the games, people have forgotten about as they are not in fashion now and very few of them have survived. Some of the games are being played at the International level  in their changed style and are very popular.

Dangals People used to play the rural games that suited almost every age group. Rural games were the sheer necessity of rural people as they did not had any other alternative source of entertainment. As main occupation of the people used to be the agriculture so all the games also used to be related to agriculture. It included from the wrestling , running, and such other performing arts that used to measure the strength of the individual or the team. Almost in every village dangals( wrestling matches) used to be organized. It is the tradition that is still being followed in most of the parts of India. This Dangal used to be the games time of the village. Though dangal is mainly related to wrestling but other games are also played during it . Players from the adjoining areas participate in the village dangals.

Hockey Before independence Kabbaddi and wrestling used to be the main game of the rural folk. Except it another game called “Khido Khoondi”, that was mainly the game of  children and that resembled hockey, was replaced by the modern hockey in which players from villages without proper facilities began to dominate in the game. Most of the Indian hockey players come out of villages even today

Other activities After the bad times of militancy most of the rural sports fare have been revived and people not only from adjoining areas but also from other states took part in some of the famous sport fairs. Kila Raipur Rural Sports meet has become so famous at International level that people have started to call it Rural Olympic .During the fair other games like Bullock cart race and horse races are also played,Every rural sports fare ends with the cultural programs that involve folk singing, dancing etc

These rural games really represent the fighting spirit of the Punjabi people against odds.

Tense Situation This time one of the north eastern state of India, West Bengal is hitting the head lines for the political happenings inside it. The situation became very tense on Thursday June 12 following  the clashes between those for and against Gorkha Janmukti Morcha’s demand for separate State, comprising the Darjeeling and some other adjoining areas. Violence erupted on the first day of the bandh called by “Amra Bengali” and some other organizations in protest against the GJM’s call for an indefinite bandh to highlight its demand of separate state. Since then the situation in the state of West Bengal is very tense though state and the central government has tried to defuse the tension by calling an all party meeting to discuss the problem but it was not attended by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and thus without the presence of the GJM the meeting itself lost its importance.

Demands Gorkha’s are demanding a separate state for themselves to preserve their Nepali identity and to improve their social and economic situations. Presently Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is the political party that represents the demand the Gorkhas of he area. It was formed in the October month of the year 2007, by Bimal Gurung who had broken away from the Subash Ghisingh led Gorkha National Libation Front. GJM is also being supported by Akhil Bharatiya Nepali Anushuti Jati Sangh — an association of Scheduled Castes. West Bengal is ruled by the left parties and their stand against the demand of  separate state is very tough. There are very few options that can be chosen to solve the problem.

Against Unity  There are so many castes and sub-castes,communities and languages spoken in India. There are many other geographical difference also. India is a country having unity in integrity. If every one rises to press for its demand for preserving unique identity and to get some economic gains then India will be divided in so many parts that one will have to use calculators to count the separate ’states’. The rifts among the Indian society becomes more wider that turn out to be dangerous to the unity of the country whenever any demand or policy is made on the basis of religion or caste. Though the demands of the GJM may be justified ones but they are indirectly harming the unity of the country. Whole of the problem can be solved through dialogs but some political powers are adding more fuel to the fire just  for increasing their vote bank.