Uttarakhand floods: Dhari Devi’s wrath Superstition or co-incidence?

Localities claim that shifting of Goddess Dhari devi’s idol from its original place is the reason for the ravage in Uttarakhand. Thousands of people have lost their lives in the floods & landslides in Uttarakhand.  The legend says that only the upper half of an idol of goddess Kali is called “Dhari Devi’ while her torso is worshipped as a ‘Shree Yantra’ at Kalimath Temple near Guptkashi. As per local lore, Dhari Devi changes in appearance during the day from a girl, to a woman, and then to an old lady. She is considered to be the protector of the Char Dhams.

On June 16 when the idol was shifted, there was a cloudburst over the holy town of Kedarnath ravaged the Hill State, killing hundreds and displacing thousand besides completely wiping out a number of villages. A similar attempt in 1882 by a local king had resulted in a landslide that had flattened Kedarnath. It may be a coincidence, but century’s old faith cannot be ruled out. The people strongly believe that they had to face goddess ire. Dhari Devi’s wrath may or may not be behind the trail of destruction in Uttarakhand, but people have reinforced their beliefs in the divine. No matter how much ever the science & technology has developed, people still believe in such superstitious things. 

Environmentalists describe the tragedy as a man-made disaster while geologists feel the extent of destruction could have been far lesser if stricter regulations had been put in place. Landslide problems are every year faced by people in Uttarakhand. What is indisputable is the story of exploitation of the hills and the resultant ill effects. How ironic it is to state that, deity’s anger can be the reason behind the disaster.