No ban on worshipping Shivling in Meghalaya's Mawjymbuin cave, claims Assam Hindu body

A stakeholder meeting at the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner's office has confirmed unrestricted access to worship at the Mawjymbuin Cave Shivling in Mawsynram, according to a statement from Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (KSP) President Satya Ranjan Borah.

The DC and representatives from Dorbar Shnong Hima Mawsynram have established daily visiting hours from 9 am to 5 pm, with plans to make special arrangements during Shravan, Borah said in the press release.

"There is no BAN on worshipping the Shivling in the Mawjymbuin Cave," the official statement emphasised. The release noted that environmental safeguards would remain in place, prohibiting smoke-generating items within the cave premises, a condition agreed upon by all stakeholders including KSP's 16-member delegation at the meeting.

"We have been working towards strengthening the National Integrity and Social Harmony in the Nation," Borah stated, explaining their involvement following appeals from the Seng Khasi Hima Mawsynram and Meghalaya Indigenous Minorities Tribal Forum.

"We are thankful to the government of Meghalaya and East Khasi Hills District Administration for organizing the meeting and express their intention to solve the dispute," Borah added in the statement.

In addition to participating in the stakeholder meeting, KSP has submitted a formal letter to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma through the Deputy Commissioner's office. The letter outlines KSP's involvement and provides detailed suggestions for the cave's management.

In the letter, Borah emphasises KSP's constitutional mandate, stating, "Being a proud citizen of India, this is our fundamental duty to protect our fundamental rights anywhere in the country. Right to Worship, Right to Live, Right to Express (Freedom of Expression), Right to Movement etc. belongs to our constitutional Fundamental Rights."

The letter includes several key proposals for the cave's management:
- Implementation of defined worship rules and procedures
- Restrictions on lighting dias and dhup inside the cave for environmental preservation
- Limitations on offering flowers and fruits directly on the Shivling
- Suggestion to distribute collected offerings among local poor and needy people
- Offer to assist in elevating the cave's national significance while respecting local beliefs

The letter concludes with a commitment to upholding Meghalaya's indigenous cultural heritage: "We sincerely love the beauty and feel the pride for the age-old indigenous cultural heritage of Meghalaya."