The Shankaracharya temple atop Srinagar's imposing hill is many hundred years old.

But the temple that glows in its fame and history, beauty and calm, has a revolt brewing within its precincts.

Born Ramkishan Das in Begusarai, Bihar, its chief priest now wants to vacate his post.

Disgusted with keeping accounts and helpless about the paltry salaries paid to his assistants by the temple trust, 27-year-old Bumbum Das, who has served the temple for two years, spoke to Special Correspondent Josy Joseph recently.

How do you work here despite the militancy and the intimidating atmosphere?

I am a baba. I left my home in Bihar because I wanted to pray so that I will have peace. As long as I was a baba wandering this earth, I was at peace. I loved it.

Ever since I came to the Shankaracharya temple I have become a baniya (trader). I look after money, clothing, surroundings, do a lot of administrative work. Since I am a baba, I like to sing bhajans. Here I have to look after workers, how their homes are run, their clothing and their food. Also, I have to look after the temple's expenses, lights and electricity connection. Sometimes, I even have to attend to electricity problems, like replacing a faulty switch.

I look after two trusts -- the Dharmath Trust and the Shankar Seva Dal. Every year, I give about Rs 10 lakh to the Dharmath Trust. This is the donation we receive from devotees. I collect the money, keep it in safe custody and hand it over. I take money from the temple only for daily expenses.

People from the trust take the money and go away, and do not give anything to us. Dr Karan Singh (the former maharaja of Kashmir and ex-Union minister) is a trustee, but he never comes here.

How many employees do you have?

Four people including me. Each one of them gets Rs 750 per month, while I get Rs 1,400.

It is pathetic. What will their wives and children eat? Who can look after a family with that paltry sum? So I take money from the mandir and give it to each one.

You are disgusted?

Yes. I want to leave this place. There is nobody, not even from the trust, ready to take charge of the temple, that is why I am not being permitted to leave. The trust thinks 'let baba work as long as he can.' Whenever I have a disagreement with the trust, I tell them I am leaving, but they insist on keeping me here.

What have you done to improve the condition of the workers?

I cannot stand anyone going hungry. I have told the trust several times to increase their wages. But nobody bothers about it. I don't want any salary, there is nothing that I can do with it. I just want peace.

What has been the trust's reaction to your requests?

They come, take the money and leave. They don't bother.

How did you land up at the temple?

I came two years ago. Earlier, I was at the Hanuman Mandir at Amira Khadal in the city. The Dharmath Trust secretary brought me here. It was much better there.

At the Hanuman Mandir, where I worked earlier, they at least fed the hungry. Here, they don't even serve water to the devotees.

Water is such a problem here. Last year, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah organised regular water supply here. Every day we get one tanker of water. When he came to know of the situation here, Dr Abdullah got angry with the chief engineer. Till then we used to request the television tower (the Doordarshan tower is also located on the same hill) water supplier every day (for water). We were at their mercy.

How much is the daily collection at the temple?

Sometimes we collect Rs 500, sometimes it is over a thousand, sometimes only a couple of hundred rupees.

During winter, hardly anyone comes here. The militancy has hit the flow of devotees. There are very few visitors here.

How do security personnel in the camps around the temple interact with you?

They help us very much. They help us keep the premises clean and give us whatever help we need. They do it, irrespective of their religion -- whether they are Hindu, Christian, Muslim, or Sikh. They do it from their heart.

Do they trouble devotees who visit the temple? There is so much of security around.

Not any more. Last year, soldiers from the previous unit posted here beat up a Muslim youth. I told them here all are equal, whether it is Muslim or Hindu. Now, they don't disturb anybody.

This temple is an important target for the militants. Have you had any encounters with the militants?

No. I have been here for the past two years, and there have been no attacks. Hindus, Muslims, all of them respect me. I have had no problems. I have stayed in the city and have had no problem there also. But, last Shivratri, I had gone to Srinagar city. While I was walking on the road late that evening, someone in an autorickshaw tried to drag me into the vehicle. I raised an alarm and the miscreants ran away.

How afraid are you of the militancy?

I am not afraid of militancy. Nor am I afraid of the public and security agencies. I am only afraid of the daily, mundane work -- fixing bulbs, cleaning etc.

I am a baba. I have been a baba for the last eight years. I was in Assam, Punjab, Delhi, Mumbai, Gujarat etc. I have been in Kashmir for the past four years. I want to leave Srinagar. Here I have to work, take responsibility for many people and things, look after mundane daily chores.

Design: Dominic Xavier

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