Meghalaya: Annual pilgrimage to Mawjymbuin Cave cancelled amid local objections

The Yatra Committee has cancelled plans for an annual pilgrimage to Mawjymbuin Cave in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills District. 

The cave, located in Mawsynram, has been a source of contention between the Hindu Society, which sought to organise the pilgrimage, and the local Dorbar Shnong (village council).

The Dorbar Shnong had previously refused to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the event, leading the Yatra Committee to seek legal intervention.

The High Court accepted the Yatra Committee's decision to cancel the pilgrimage. Further, the court agreed on the need to form a committee for the cave's preservation and maintenance, according to VG K Kynta, the advocate representing the Dorbar Shnong Mawsynram.

This development comes after the court's earlier directive on August 8, asking Dorbar Shnong to resolve the NOC issue. The Hindu Society had initially planned the pilgrimage for August 10 and 11, citing the presence of a stone structure in the cave resembling a 'Shiva Linga'.

The Dorbar Shnong has maintained that the cave should remain a tourist attraction and not be transformed into a place of worship.