1586 perform darshan
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Aug 21: Chhari-Pujan was performed this evening in Shri Amareshwar Temple situated at Mahadev Gir Dashnami Akhara building Srinagar with religious fervor and gaiety by Mahant Deependra Giri Ji, the custodian of holy mace of Amarnath Ji. He was accompanied by a group of Sadhus who have come from across the country to participate in the annual Amarnath Ji Yatra.
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Large number of devotees besides, Amarnath Ji pilgrims participated in the special prayers and had darshan of saffron robbed holy mace of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Mahant Ji while talking to reporters on the occasion said performing Chhari-Pujan at Mahadev Gir Dashnami Akhara on ‘Shravan Shukla Paksha Panchami’ is an age-old tradition. Until year 1989, Chhari-Mubarak of Swami Amarnath Ji used to depart for main course of pilgrimage immediately after this Pujan and Sadhus used to cover the entire journey of about 148 kilometers on foot from Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar to holy Shrine of Amarnath Ji making night halts at Pampore, Bijbehara, Anantnag, Martand, Aishmuqam, Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni.
He said Chhari-Mubarak will leave for main course of pilgrimage on August 26 from Dashnami Akhara Srinagar. First night halt shall be made at Pahalgam. Enroute to Pahalgam, Pujan shall be also performed at Sureshwar temple Srinagar, Shiv Temple Pampore, Shiv temple Bijbehara, Martand Tirth Mattan and Ganesh temple, Ganeshbal across the river Lidder, he added.
Thereafter, Chhari-Mubarak shall make night halts at Chandanwari on August 28, Sheshnag on August 29 and Panchtarni on August 30. On Thursday, August 31, on the occasion of Shravan- Purnima, Chhari-Mubarak will proceed to holy shrine of Amarnath Ji to reach there before Sun rise and Pujan will begin with the rising Sun as per age old tradition, he said.
‘The True Trust’, founded by Mahant Deependra Giri Ji in year 2004, has made all the necessary arrangements like yesteryears for Sadhus and needy from the general public coming from across the country to join Chhari-Mubarak of Swami Amarnath Ji Yatra for their food, tented accommodation and transportation during the annual pilgrimage.
As numerous devotees have expressed their wish to watch the Pujan that will be performed with movement of holy Mace, efforts will be made for live streaming of Aarti-Puja to be performed at each camp enroute to holy shrine of Amarnath Ji subject to internet connectivity, Mahant Ji said.
He said the devotees can simply hit https://www.youtube.com/@mdgiri for live telecast.
While commenting on the reported decision of the Shri Amaranth Shrine Board (SASB) of suspending the annual pilgrimage from August 23 temporarily due to decline in number of pilgrims and restoration of track, Mahant Ji said the decision should have been given vast publicity before hand as the pilgrims who had earlier made their bookings and purchased tickets etc will face problems with the decision.
He said that the authorities should have continued the 62 day long yatra as decided earlier. Mahant Ji said earlier they decided that yatra will move on alternative days and now it has been reported that the authorities have decided to suspend the Yatra from August 23 but the Chhari Mubarak will move as per schedule and pay obeisance at holy cave on August 31. But the decision of suspension of yatra should have been given vast publicity before hand, he added.
He said as per age old tradition the annual Yatra used to be of one month duration i.e from Ashahd Purnima to Sawan Purnima and after the 1990 when turmoil gripped Kashmir, the Yatra was only of eight days duration. The Chhari Mubarak was taken from Jammu to holy cave for several years.
Mahant Ji said the darshan on Sawan Purnima at holy cave has a lot of religious significance and people used to visit holy cave on this day.
He said as Mahant he led the Yatra for first time in 1992 from Jammu to holy cave and yatra at that time was for eight days only and in 1996 it was run for 15 days. In 1997 after the political Government was established in J&K, the yatra for the first time was run for one month, he added.
Maintaining that Amarnath Ji Yatra is a religious pilgrimage, he said it should be maintained in the same way. Mahant Ji said that it has been observed that there remains heavy rush of pilgrims during first three weeks of pilgrimage and then it declines. He said obviously the rush also declined after first month of the darshan this time though SASB had announced 62 days yatra. The reasons for the decline in number of pilgrims were flash floods and insistent rains across various parts of country, he added.
Meanwhile, on the 52nd day of darshan 1586 pilgrims paid obeisance of naturally formed ice Shivlingam in 3888 metre high Himalayan cave in South Kashmir district of Anantnag today.
The officials said that 1,586 pilgrims visited the holy cave from twin tracks of Baltal in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and Nunwan-Pahalgam in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district by this evening.
With this the total number of pilgrims who visited holy cave during last 52 days has reached 4,44,351 since the 62-day long yatra started on July 1 this year from twin tracks.
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