With more and more states reporting higher number of cases, state governments and courts restrained people from congregating at religious events.

Amarnath Yatra 2020: In a first, DD has been requested by the SASB shrine board to live telecast Amarnath pooja! The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) which organises the Amarnath Yatra every year has requested the national broadcaster Doordarshan to live telecast the yatra for the devotees on television. For pilgrims, live telecast of poojas amidst COVID-19 related restrictions will offer relief. The decision comes in the wake of the spread of Coronavirus in the country. With more and more states reporting higher number of cases, state governments and courts restrained people from congregating at religious events. In this context, the shrine board has asked DD to telecast the live morning and evening Pooja during the pilgrimage, IE reported. The Amarnath pilgrimage is expected to set off in the next month.

“We have got a request for half an hour telecast each in the morning and evening on DD national,”G D Tahir, head programming, Doordarshan Kendra, Srinagar told IE. He also said it is up to the Delhi headquarters of the Doordarshan to accede to the request. He also added that if the request is acceded to then it will be a first as this would be the first time when the live telecast of the pilgrimage will be run on the national broadcaster. Previously, DD only ran the recorded content/videos of the pilgrimage.

Amarnath Yatra 2020: What changes to expect for the annual pilgrimage?

The request to telecast the annual Yatra for Lord Shiva comes at a time when there is talk of the Yatra getting curtailed due to the threat posed by Coronavirus rising cases in the country. IE quoted some of its sources as saying that the Yatra may get started by 21st of July and may get concluded by the first week of August. The pilgrimage is likely to be cut to 15 days in place of the month long annual pilgrimage organised every year.

When asked about the possibility of the Yatra getting shortened due to Coronavirus, Ganderbal’s Deputy Commissioner told IE that the work on the trek has been completed and it is upto the higher authorities to decide on the duration and path of the trek. However, the health department has suggested that children below 15 years of age and adults above 60 be not allowed to embark on the pilgrimage this time as they remain most vulnerable to the deadly virus.