Holy mace to leave for Swami Amarnath shrine today

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 5: The holy mace of Lord Shiva is all set to leave the Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar for holy cave of Swami Amarnath early tomorrow morning.
Led by Mahant Deependera Giri, the custodian of holy mace, it will leave Dashnami Akhara early in the morning and enroute to holy cave Pooja will be performed at Durga Nag temple and Sureshwar temple, Srinagar, Shiv temple Pampore,  Shiv temple Bijbehara, Martand Tirath Mattan and Ganesh temple across river Lidder at Ganeshbal on Pahalgam route.
After a night halt at Pahalgam tomorrow, the holy mace will leave for Chandanwari -the last motorable route on August 7. On August 8 the Chhari will leave from Chandanwari to Sheshnag for a night halt there.
On August 9 Chhari will leave Sheshnag for a night halt at Panchtarni. Finally it will be taken to holy cave in deep Himalayas on the day of Sawan Purnima coinciding with Raksha Bandhan on August 10 morning for the final Pujan and darshan.
According to Mahant Deependra Giri the holy mace will return to Dashnami Akhara on August 12 after organising traditional pujan and other rituals on its way back.
Meanwhile 1,716 devotees paid obeisance to Icy Lingam in holy cave on day 40 of the yatra today. With this the total number of pilgrims paying obeisance at holy cave since the 44 day long yatra started on June 28 has touched 3,67,407.
According to an official spokesman 767 pilgrims left from Baltal Base camp for holy cave today. Out of them 307 left by chopper.
He said 500 pilgrims left from Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp to holy cave early this morning under tight security cover.
The spokesman said the yatris having night halt at Sheshnag and Panchtarni camps also left for their onwards sojourn in the morning.
A fresh batch of 122 pilgrims left for holy cave in four vehicles early this morning under tight security from Bhagwati Nagar Jammu Yatri Niwas. These pilgrims had reached their respective destinations by this evening where from they will leave for their next sojourn tomorrow morning.

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