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https://theconversation.com/threat-from-climate-change-to-some-of-indias-sacred-pilgrimage-sites-is-reshaping-religious-beliefs-208737>
"The famous pilgrimage site of Kedarnath, located in the central Himalayas of
India, is believed to be a sacred land. It has been referred to as “deva
bhumi,” or the “land of the gods,” for centuries.
Millions of people visit this region each year in search of divine blessings
and other religious benefits as part of what is known as the Char Dham Yatra,
or the pilgrimage to four sacred mountainous abodes devoted to different gods
and goddesses. Situated at the base of 20,000-foot snowy peaks, Kedarnath is
one of these four major destinations.
The mighty Hindu god Shiva is believed to have manifested in the middle of a
meadow in Kedarnath as a conical rock formation that has long been worshiped as
a lingam, an embodied form of the deity. A stone temple has stood over the
lingam for at least a thousand years, at an altitude of about 12,000 feet.
I visited this area in 2000, 2014 and 2019 as part of research I’ve been
conducting for decades on religion, nature and ecology; I have spent numerous
summers in the Himalayas. Many in the vast crowds of people on the Char Dham
Yatra told me that they believe it is important to undertake this pilgrimage at
least once in their lifetime, often identifying it as the most significant
journey they will ever perform.
But climate change now threatens the sacred sites of this region. As global
temperatures rise, glaciers on the 20,000-foot peaks above Kedarnath that are
key sources of the Mandakini River, a major tributary of the Ganges, are
melting and retreating at alarming rates. In turn, as I argue in my book,
“Understanding Climate Change through Religious Lifeworlds,” climate change
disasters are acting as powerful drivers of religious transformations,
reshaping religious ideas and practices."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
