Why the push n shove?

 In our area, there is a Shri Rama temple. Each Ram Navami, there is a "janmotsav." When it comes to taking the prasad distributed by the 'guruji', most all present rush n create a mini stampede like situation. Everyone is shoving everyone else aside, jostling like mad, none is ready to wait, to stand in a queue. Nobody is there to make the crowd behave itself like devotees, and not like savages! 

Nothing unique about this scenario. Last year, I was in the Tulshibaug Ram Mandir at the same time. Aai loved Shri Rama. She used to recite the 'Ram Raksha Stotra' with great devotion. Her 'Bhajani Mandal' used to perform during the 'Chaitra Navratra'. Hence my attendance in her memory. The scenario inside the Tulshibaug temple was no better than the lane out there in the peak hour!

Look at the annual palakhi procession. Except, may be, for the designated 'palakhi mandali', rest is sheer chaos. People push like hell to reach near the 'paduka'. Horrible is the condition of the poor horses. A hyper sensitive animal, it is touched by thousands anywhere anyhow. On the cart driven by the bullocks, there is a huge load. I absolutely admire all these poor animals for their tremendous tolerance and patience.

As for the actual 'wari', it is like the crazy current of a mad river in terrible spate. People push each other like anything. Food items are distributed at all sorts of places. A huge crowd gathers, though the push n shove show continues. Old folks slip on the banana peels. None is bothered. 

Is it so very difficult to prepare barricaded routes so that the Wari procession can continue faultlessly, and the onlookers can pay their obeisance to the 'padukas'? Why not give the food items to the 'dindi' head who distributed them to his 'dindi' at the stage when all rest a little? If you give bananas, why not give a paper bag for the skins to be discarded?

The same push n shove scenario is very much the done stuff during the annual Ganesh immersion procession. Why, even at Tirupati Venkatesh Balaji temple, beyond the 'Garud Stambha', it is such a push, shove, ram, thrust scenario that a stampede is eagerly awaiting to happen! A similar free for all is the 'done' process in the narrow most lanes leading to Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and on the bridge leading to the 

Sick it is that the scenario is no different in the Himalayas!