A look back at the heartbreaking Amarnath Yatra attack in 2017 that saddened an entire nation and made Bollywood celebrities raise their voices in anger against terrorism.
Amarnath temple is one of the most religious sites in Hinduism. It is one of the 51 Shakti Pithas, which hold significant importance among Hindus worldwide. Every year, thousands of devotees from different parts of India and the world visit Jammu and Kashmir in order to do the Amarnath Yatra and seek darshan of Lord Shiva.
The Shiva Lingam created naturally by the melting of ice from the roof of Amarnath cave to its floor, is considered one of the holiest shivlings in the world. The Amarnath cave is located in the Sind Valley, which offers a series of picturesque scenes because it is covered in glaciers.
Recommended Read: Lord Jagannath Temple Denied Entry To Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar And Other Famous People
Unfortunately, Amarnath Yatra has been a top target of several terrorist groups. One such infamous and heartbreaking attack happened back in 2017 when terrorists attacked pilgrims of the Amarnath Yatra in their thirst to disrupt India’s peace and harmony. For the unversed, it was on July 10, 2017, when 8 Hindu pilgrims were killed in a terror attack while they were on their way to the Amarnath temple.
According to reports, most Hindu pilgrims who lost their lives in the inhuman terror attack were from Gujarat. Apart from this, a total of at least 18 people were also injured in the mass shooting, which took place in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district. When the investigation was done, it was found that Lashkar-e-Taiba was responsible for the brutal attack on the pilgrims.
It was such an inhuman massacre that even the Bollywood celebrities, who often sidelined themselves from speaking on major issues and incidents, came forward and shared their views on the same. So without further ado, let’s take a look at how B-town celebrities reacted to the Amarnath Yatra attack in 2017.
The Khiladi Kumar of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar took to his Twitter handle and condemned the horrific incident. The actor admitted that the incident was a major low of another level. His tweet could be read as:
"Attack on innocent #AmarnathYatra pilgrims is a low of another level! Angry and sad...prayers for all those affected."
The Badshah of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan is one of the most admired actors in India and is loved by almost everyone for his thoughts on religion and faith. The actor was quite saddened to hear about what had happened in Amarnath. His tweet could be read as:
"Saddening to see innocent lives being taken. Prayers for the victims & may God give strength to the families of the #AmarnathYatra pilgrims."
Varun Dhawan was one of the few young actors in Bollywood who raised their voices against the terror attack. The actor looked quite disappointed as he tweeted two tweets and labelled the terrorists as ‘cowards’. One of his tweets could be read as:
"Totally shocked and disturbed with the news about the #AmarnathYatra. Don't understand how can such people exist. Terrorist are cowards."
The veteran actor, Anupam Kher was one of the celebrities, who was deeply hurt by the terror attack on the pilgrims of Amarnath Yatra. The actor tweeted three tweets in which he also urged the national authorities to take strict action against the terrorists. One of the fiery tweets from Anupam Kher could be read as:
"Terrorist attack on the pilgrims of #AmaranthYatra is most shameful & cowardly act. Security forces should wipe out these terrorists."
Don’t Miss: Prithviraj Chauhan And Sanyogita's Love Story: A Painter Turned Cupid, Jaichand's Revenge And More
Alia Bhatt also shared her response on Twitter and labelled the terrorist act as a ‘monstrous’. Bollywood actor and producer, Farhan Akhtar also raised his voice against the security of pilgrims and urged authorities to give a strict reaction to the terrorists.
The famous director, Shekhar Kapur also reminded everyone how terrorist attacks on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims had become a habit and requested Indian security forces to give a solid reply. Another renowned filmmaker, Hansal Mehta reacted to the tragedy angrily and stated that terrorists belong to no religion.
You May Like This: Meet Rakesh Sharma: First Indian To Go To Space, The Forgotten Hero Is Living In A Small Village
Every year, thousands of people take part in Amarnath Yatra to seek blessings from Lord Shiva, who is present as an ice Lingam at the Amarnath cave. Besides the Shiva Lingam, there are two more ice formations, which are believed to be Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha. During the 45-day season around the famous Shravani Mela, from July to August, pilgrims take part in Amarnath Yatra, which is a 36 to 48-km-long yatra. The Amarnath temple is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft).
The story of Amarnath cave getting its name holds a special significance in Hinduism. As per the legends, Lord Shiva chose this cave to reveal the secrets of immortality to Goddess Parvati. It is also said that it is the same cave where Shiva also told Parvati about the formation of the universe and all the secrets about life and death. Along with these, Lord Shiva also solved Goddess Parvati’s queries about his way of living.
What are your thoughts on the constant terror attacks on the pilgrims of Amarnath Yatra? Share your thoughts with us.
Also Read: Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Meet Ritu Karidhal, 'Rocket Woman', Who Is Leading ISRO's Moon Mission