India restricts tourism at holy Jain after protests

• There are about 4.5 million members of the religious minority known as the Jain community.
• An important Jain pilgrimage site has been closed to tourism.
• This includes prohibiting “loud music, the sale and consumption of intoxicants.

An important Jain pilgrimage site has been closed to tourism by the Indian government.

On top of the tallest peak in Jharkhand state, Sammed Shikharji is situated in a region that is sensitive to the environment.

Alcohol consumption and the consumption of non-vegetarian cuisine are examples of “defiling the site” practises that the administration has asked the state to outlaw.

There are about 4.5 million members of the religious minority known as the Jain community.

Under the spiritual direction of monks, devoted Jains adhere to the teachings of their faith. These contain thorough guidelines for daily life, particularly for what to eat, what not to eat, and when to eat.

The locals worry that tourism to the Jharkhand pilgrimage site may diminish the area’s reverence.

For a few weeks, members have been protesting the state government’s decision to transform the location into a tourism destination.

Following a recommendation from the state government, the environment ministry permitted tourism-related activities at the site’s location, Parasnath Hill, in 2019.

It informed the state administration in a letter on Thursday that the property was crucial for the entire country as well as the local area.

It requested that all “tourist and eco-tourism” operations at the location end immediately and that all laws governing eco-sensitive zones be upheld.

This includes prohibiting “loud music, the sale and consumption of intoxicants, defiling sites of religious and cultural value,” as well as actions that can damage the local ecology.

The federal government is committed to “maintaining and protecting the rights of the Jain community over all their sacred places, including Sammed Shikhar,” Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav stated on Twitter.

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