Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 23: Temples and Shrines Prabhandak Committee Tral Awantipora Kashmir has demanded that the traditions in connection with holy Amarnath yatra be maintained.
In a letter to Lt Governor, G C Murmu who is also the chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), the president of the Committee C L Bhat said that age old tradition is that after performing traditional Pooja on Shrawan Purnamashi at holy cave of Shri Amarnath Ji , Yatris mostly Sadhus and locals would return and on their way back reach Nowdal a small village on Awantipur-Tral road in South Kashmir district Pulwama for performing yatra culmination Pooja Archna at Mahadev Sathal in Nowdal by making immersion (Visarjan) of their travel footwear ,sticks etc at the water flowing tributaries of Nowdal Nag (spring).
This way the month -long yatra would culminate as per the age old traditions of Sanatan Dharma and Kashmiri Parampara, he said, adding but for reason of some vested interests development of Nowdal Yatra Sathal was never permitted and gradually there was a decline in celebration of festival. However, Kashmiri Pandits of Nowdal adjoining localities continued this practice and now also with the help of administration on Nowdal Chorum , (4th day after Shrawan Purnamashi) our society is taking a yatra from here Jammu to Nowdal and ritual are performed to keep the tradition alive.
He said the administration provides for transport arrangement together with security and other arrangements, district administration and concerned police cooperates in conducting this yatra peacefully. “We have in this regard already taken up the issue with district administration Pulwama and there response is awaited”.
In the meantime with unfortunate spread of COVID- 19 and time to time guidelines issued by the Government the Committee has also has decided for cancellation of yatra this year, but at the same time it is requested that one person of our society be also included in symbolic Pooja of Chhari Mubarak at Amarnath Ji cave on Sawan Purnima.
He also demanded besides arrangements of visiting by at least four members of our Committee for symbolic Pooja at Nowdal on Nowdal Chutarthi falling on August 7 this year for keeping tradition alive and respect of sentiments be also made.