Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Aug 21: The Chhari Mubarak of Shri Amarnath Ji will leave for the darshan of holy cave situated at an altitude of 3300 meters in deep Himalayas in South Kashmir district of Anantnag early tomorrow morning on Shravan Purnima coinciding with Raksha Bandhan festival from its abode Amreshwar temple, Mahadev Gir, Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar.
The holy mace will be led by its custodian Mahant Deependra Giri Ji and a group of Sadhus in a special chopper via traditional Pahalgam Chandanwari aerial route to holy cave where it will perform Pujan in a traditional way and also pay obeisance to naturally formed Ice Lingam.
The Sadhus will perform day -long Puja Archana in the cave shrine and will hold special prayers to Lord Shiva for eradication of dreaded COVID pandemic and for peace and prosperity of the J&K UT and the country.
The Chhari Mubarak will return to its abode Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar in the evening. This is for the second consecutive year that the holy Amarnath yatra was cancelled due to COVID pandemic and the Chhari Mubarak was taken through the aerial route instead of traditional track of Pahalgam -Chandanwari.
Mahant Ji said that though the yatra was cancelled for second consecutive year this time in the wake of COVID Pandemic yet all arrangements have been made to airlift the Chhari Mubarak to holy cave by a special chopper overflying the customary route of Pahalgam,Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni.
With this, the annual pilgrimage as well as the telecast of morning and evening Aarti will culminate tomorrow and the Pujaris and other staff including security men deployed at holy cave and Baltal will also pack up for return.
This year too no immersion ceremony will be held at the banks of river Lidder in Pahalgam as was a tradition for years together due to COVID. However, these rituals will also be performed at Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar where Sadhus will be served the Prasahd.
It may be recalled that earlier the Chhari Sathapana was held at Amareshwar temple, Akhara building, Budshah Chowk, Srinagar. This was followed by Chhari Pujan on Nag Panchmi, August 13 by Mahant Ji, Sadhus and a selected number of devotees at Dashnami Akhara.
As per tradition, the holy mace starts its annual journey by foot to cave shrine from Dashnami Akhara on the day of Naag Panchmi for annual yatra with night halts at Pampore, Awantipora, Bijbehara, Anantnag, Mattan, Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni before reaching the holy cave in the early morning of Shravan Purnima for darshan. Enroute to holy cave as per tradition the Chhari Mubarak had to perform Pujan at Durga Nag Shrine Srinagar also.
The Chhari Mubarak used to return from cave shrine on the same day with a night halt at Panchtarni. Next day it leaves for Pahalgam where after a night halt the immersion ceremony was held in river Lidder and Prashad was served to Sadhus and other devotees participating in annual Chhari yatra. After performing the rituals, the holy mace leaves for its abode Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar.
However, these all ceremonies were not held since last year due to pandemic.
Meanwhile, yatris from different parts of J&K have also reached Prachin Amarnath, Thajiwara in Bijbehara tehsil of Anantnag district where they will perform darshan tomorrow.
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