March is the month when the mountain state of Uttarakhand begins to move away from the long winter months towards a lot of activity and excitement regarding preparations for the tourist season whether it be pilgrim, adventure, wildlife or leisure tourism.
This year, the winter has been indeed long with more than 25 rounds of snowfall. The heavy rains and hail storms have affected the crops, causing alarm to farmers. Just as people were thinking of dealing with these conditions, the fear of the novel coronavirus took over and threw a pall of gloom on all tourism –related activities.
The Jhande ka Mela that gives a good boost to the economy of Dehradun every year had to be brought to an abrupt halt as it led to massive gatherings of devotees of the Ram Rai Darbar in the old city. It could have created great danger had it gone on for a month or so. The same fate has met the famous Purnagiri Mela of Tanakpur and Chaiti Mela of Kashipur.
And not just this, a shadow of uncertainty has now fallen on the many yatras that begin in the state from April onwards-the Char Dham Yatra, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the Hemkund Sahib Yatra besides others. Nothing seems to be certain regarding all the major yatras and events in the state on which its economy is greatly dependent.
The Corbett national Park, Rajaji National Park , the Dehradun Zoo and other protected areas in the state have been closed till March 31 at the moment. Even temples like Siddhbali in Kotdwar where people gather in large numbers have been closed for devotees.
There is no chance that the state government wants to take as far as checking the spread of the virus is concerned. People have been advised to stay home as far as possible. As tourism involves a large number of people moving about at various destinations in the state, it has been hit badly just at the beginning of the tourist season. All cultural gatherings have been cancelled or postponed. People in the state are anxious about the consequences which these conditions will have for the tourism-based mountain economy. The hotel and restaurant business is at an all-time low with a bulk of the bookings being cancelled.
As there is still some time before commencement of major yatras, traders and local people are hoping against hope that the situation would improve by then.
Even if the virus is checked by then, people may not have liquidity to undertake the yatras as their livelihoods have been greatly affected by the closing down of economic activity.
Bookings at resorts and camps have been rapidly cancelled in great numbers and most people seem decided not to venture out this summer as anxiety and fear surrounds them the world over. Transporters, hoteliers, camp-site owners and the various traders whose livelihood depends on the tourist season are extremely worried as the fear of coronavirus for them has also brought to them the fear of running into huge losses.
The many boarding schools in the Doon valley that take their students to many camps and resorts during this time have all cancelled their plans.
So, in Uttarakhand these days, one can sense an air of gloom, anxiety, worry and a queer silence which may carry on for quite some time.
However, the hope that very soon-in April-things will begin to look up and perhaps, the losses can be made up to some extent. The Gods of the Devbhumi may shower their blessings on us after all.
Prayers were said at Jageshwar Dham for protection form the virus. And as Lord Alfred Tennyson wrote –“more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of”.
