4.45 lakh pilgrims perform darshan
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Aug 31: With Chhari Mubarak, the Saffron robbed holy mace of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati reaching cave shrine early this morning to offer prayers and perform Puja, the 62-day-long annual Shri Amarnath Ji yatra which started on July 1 from twin tracks of Baltal and Nunwan-Pahalgam concluded on the occasion of Shravan Purnima today.
The holy mace led by Mahant Deependra Giri Ji and accompanied by a group of Sadhus and devotees reached the cave shrine early this morning and held Puja and performed other religious rituals in a traditional way. The Sadhus performed Puja by chanting Vedic hymns. As the holy mace reached cave shrine the slogans ‘Bum Bum Bhole’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’ rent the air. Mahant Deependra Giri Ji led Sadhus and other devotees in Puja.
Samohik Aarti was also held and special prayers were performed for peace and prosperity of J&K and country as a whole.
The holy mace which had a night halt at Panchtarni, the last transit camp on way to 3888 metre high cave shrine in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district left Panchtarni during wee hours to reach cave shrine before the Sun rise. The Sadhus carrying holy mace trekked 42 km long terrain right from Pahalgam to cave shrine after a night halt at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni.
Earlier, the Chhari Mubarak had left the Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar its abode for holy cave on August 26 on last leg of its Yatra to cave shrine. Enroute to holy cave Puja was performed at Someshwar temple, Srinagar, Shiva temple Pampore, Bijbehara, Sun temple of Martand, Ganesh temple at Ganeshpora near Pahalgam and Shiv Shakti temple at Pahalgam where it stayed for two nights as per tradition.
After performing religious rituals at cave shrine today the Chhari Mubarak on its way to Pahalgam left for Panchtarni in the afternoon where it will have a night halt and leave for Pahalgam early in the morning.
The immersion ceremonies will be performed at Pahalgam in the river Lidder on September 2 and later after serving Prashad to Sadhus and devotees in a traditional way, the holy mace will leave for Dashnami Akhara Srinagar in the afternoon.
Officials said a total of 4,45,338 devotees paid obeisance to the naturally formed Ice Shivling during the pilgrimage which commenced on July 1 through Baltal and Pahalgam routes.
They said 48 people, including pilgrims and service providers, died during the course of the yatra this year and 62 suffered injuries. The deaths were due to weather-related incidents or natural causes, they added.
They said 8 deaths took place via Pahalgam axis while 23 deaths occurred on Baltal Axis. Ten pilgrims died at SKIMS, Srinagar, two at Chanderkot Ramban, two in Jammu, one at GMC Anantnag and one at a hotel in Srinagar, they added.
The number of pilgrims who undertook the yatra this year was higher than last year’s 3.65 lakh.
The yatra this year remained peaceful and incident-free, the officials said.
They said that some major initiatives were taken this year to ease the yatra which included upgradation of Baltal holy cave track up to Brarimarg, upgradation of bridges on both tracks enroute from wooden to steel girder status, holding capacity of about 50,000 was created within the yatra area, grid power all along holy cave via Baltal and two hundred bedded DRDO hospitals were established, one at Baltal and another at Chandanwari with state of art facility etc.
Officials said that the yatris who visited holy cave this year from country or abroad were fully satisfied with the arrangements made by Shrine Board headed by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha as chairman.
They said in view of the last year’s flash floods near lower cave which resulted in some casualties, the Shrine Board this time did not allow the space in that area which is prone to floods to be used for tented accommodation to ensure the safety of yatris.
Besides, the services of para military forces, JK Police, NDRF, SDRF and Mountaineering teams of JK Police were utilised to assist the yatris and this ensured a hassle free and incident free yatra this time, officials added.
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