Amarnath Yatra: Chhari-Mubarak taken to Shankaracharya for special prayers

1,602 pilgrims leave for cave shrine from Jammu

STATE TIMES NEWS

Srinagar: Chhari-Mubarak’ — the saffron-robed holy mace of Lord Shiva — was taken to the historic Shankaracharya temple here for special prayers as part of the ongoing annual Amarnath Yatra.
In connection with Swami Amarnath Ji Yatra-2022, Chhari-Mubarak Swami Amarnath Ji led by Mahant Deependra Giri was taken to historic Shankaracharya temple located at Gopadri hills for prayers on the occasion of Haryali-Amavasya’ (Shravan Amavasya) as per the age-old customs, Giri, the custodian of the mace, said in a statement.
He said the sound of conch shells charged the atmosphere and pujan’ was performed chanting Vedic hymns.
Sadhus who accompanied the holy mace participated in the prayers that lasted for more than two hours. Collective prayers were also offered for peace and prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir, Giri said.
The Chhari-Mubarak will be taken to Sharika-Bhawani’ temple, Hari Parbat, here to pay obeisance to the goddess on Friday, the statement said.
Rituals will be performed for Chhari-Sthapana at Shri Amareshwar temple Dashnami Akhara here on Sunday, after which Chhari-Pujan will be performed at Dashnami Akhara on the auspicious occasion of Nag-Panchami’ on August 2, it said.
Giri will carry the holy mace to the holy cave shrine to perform pujan and have darshan’ on morning of Shravan-Purnima’ on August 12 after having night halts at Pahalgam on August 7 and, Chandanwari on August 9, Sheshnag on August 10 and Panchtarani on August 11, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the 28th batch of 1,602 pilgrims this morning left from Jammu for 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.
They left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here in a convoy of 55 vehicles amid heavy security of CRPF this morning, the officials said.
First to leave were 596 pilgrims, heading for Baltal, in 21 vehicles followed by the second convoy of 34 vehicles carrying 1,006 pilgrims for Pahalgam, they said.
The number of pilgrims visiting cave shrine have drastically fallen in past three days mostly due to bad weather conditions, the officials said.
The annual 43-day yatra commenced on June 30 from the twin routes — traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag and 14-km shorter Baltal in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal.
Till Wednesday, over 2.33 lakh pilgrims had offered their prayers at the cave shrine, housing the naturally formed ice-shivlingam, the officials said.
The yatra is scheduled to end on August 11 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
A total of 36 people mostly pilgrims have died during the on-going yatra till date, excluding 15 pilgrims, who died in the flash floods at Amarnath cave shrine on July 1.