Absence of devotees at Sangam impacting livelihood of boatmen
Prayagraj: The ongoing summer and sultry weather conditions seem to have left their impact on the turnout of the pilgrims and devotees at Sangam as the banks of Ganga are witnessing a thin attendance of devotees and pilgrims from all across the country, impacting the livelihood of boatmen.
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Although the boatmen claim to have earned hefty profits during Maha Kumbh, they are now finding few takers.
President of Prayagraj Navik Sangh, Pappu Nishad, told TOI, "The ongoing summer season has hit the turnout as there is limited attendance of devotees and pilgrims flocking to Sangam and hiring boats to take holy dips and perform rituals. In the current scenario, a limited section of devotees travelling to Sangam are from Varanasi or Ayodhya.
Those arriving in Varanasi or Ayodhya to seek blessings of Lord Shiva and Lord Ram often plan their tours to Sangam in Prayagraj to take holy dips and perform rituals.
" However, the strength of such devotees is very limited and directly impacting the income of boatmen. In the current scenario, a boatman is charging Rs 50 for a devotee to ferry a pilgrim from Quila Ghat to Sangam, and the rate from other ghats to Sangam is more or less. Shantanu, a boatman, told TOI, "Around 75% of all around 1,500 boatmen in and around Prayagraj earn their livelihoods by catering to the pilgrims at Sangam.With the limited attendance of visitors who arrive at Sangam to take holy dips, boatmen are fighting to earn big earnings. The strength of devotees has declined since the temperature crossed 42 degrees Celsius." Rakesh, another boatman, asserted, "We are hardly able to manage better earnings by catering to the few visitors who arrive either to take holy dips or to immerse the mortal remains." A section of boatmen who were earlier engaged in ferrying pilgrims during the season are planning to do some other work to earn a livelihood.
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