‘These people should have their hands and feet broken…’ Heavy rush at Kedarnath opening, netizens react strongly
The Char Dham Yatra has started and the first day itself is already being widely discussed. As the gates of Kedarnath Temple opened on April 22, a very large number of devotees reached the temple within a short time. The strong turnout reflects deep faith, but at the same time, visuals from the ground have raised concerns about how such crowds are being handled.The yatra began with a significant rush. Reports suggest that nearly 38,000 devotees visited the temple on the first day. With such a large number arriving together, managing the flow became difficult in several areas near the temple. People had to wait in long queues, and movement was slow. A video from the temple area soon started circulating online. In the clip, some people can be seen climbing over barricades and trying to move ahead in the queue. There are also instances where people push forward instead of waiting for their turn. Because of this, the crowd became very tight in some places. People were standing very close to each other, making it hard to move. The visuals showed how quickly things can become uncomfortable when order is not followed.The video led to strong reactions on social media. Many users shared their frustration after watching the scenes.One user wrote, "Bhai, people like these should have their hands and feet broken, only then will they reform after turning this country into a heavy-penalty nation."Another said, "WTH is happening, No place is left where people can go with family."Some comments focused on queue discipline. "Tell me, there are lines everywhere in temples. These people want a separate VIP treatment. No heat or anything, just comfortably stay in line."The situation has also started a discussion about whether better arrangements are needed or if people themselves are responsible.One comment read, "Arrangements in the four dhams and 12 jyotirlingas should be unprecedented. It is wrong that there is no proper arrangement in Kedarnath, where people live in such exhaustion."At the same time, others blamed the behaviour of the crowd. "Why do you people go when you don't have any patience in you, what can the government do when you're in the habit of being sheep-like," a user wrote.Another added, "Such stupid people don't even care about others' lives."Some visitors also spoke about how difficult the experience becomes during such a heavy rush. Long waiting hours and very limited time for darshan made it hard for many to feel peaceful.One user said, "After hours of standing in line, you barely get a 5-second glimpse. It's hard to find peace or connection in that kind of chaos."With the yatra just beginning, the first day itself has shown how quickly large crowds can create pressure. The coming days will be important to see how both management and public behaviour improve to ensure a safer and smoother experience for all devotees.Disclaimer: This article is based on social media reactions and publicly available user-generated content. The views quoted belong to individual users and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Times of India. Thumb image: X
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