Northeast, August 14 —The Yatra Committee has cancelled the planned annual pilgrimage to Mawjymbuin Cave in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills District following a legal dispute with the local Dorbar Shnong (village council) in Mawsynram.
The cave, a popular tourist attraction, became the center of contention after the Hindu Society sought to organize a pilgrimage, citing the presence of a stone formation resembling a ‘Shiva Linga’. However, the Dorbar Shnong refused to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the event, leading the Yatra Committee to seek legal recourse.
The High Court has accepted the committee’s decision to cancel the pilgrimage and agreed on the necessity of forming a committee for the cave’s preservation and maintenance, as confirmed by VG K Kynta, the advocate representing the Dorbar Shnong.
This development follows the court’s earlier directive on August 8, urging the Dorbar Shnong to resolve the NOC issue. The pilgrimage, initially scheduled for August 10 and 11, will not proceed, aligning with the local council’s stance that the cave should remain a tourist site rather than a place of worship.
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