Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 7: Though 22 days are still left for two -month long Amarnath yatra which started from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here, on July 1, the number of pilgrims visiting the holy cave for darshan is decreasing day by day.
On the 37th day of yatra today 2548 pilgrims performed darshan in holy cave situated at an altitude of 3880 metres in deep Himalayas in South Kashmir district of Anantnag. This is the lowest number of pilgrims paying obeisance in holy cave so far. With this the total number of pilgrims paying obeisance in cave shrine till date has touched 3,36,055.
According to an official spokesman,926 pilgrims left for holy cave from shortest Baltal track early this morning. Out of them, 625 left by foot while 301 by chopper. He said 682 pilgrims left from Nunwan -Pahalgam Base Camp via traditional Chandanwari track to holy cave this morning.
The spokesman said 1012 pilgrims returned to Baltal Base camp after performing darshan of naturally formed Ice Lingam in holy cave. Out of them 795 came by foot and 217 by chopper.
The spokesman said the weather is totally clear on both the tracks. However the recent cloud bursts in Baltal and Sheshnag area affected the yatra to a great extent resulting into constant decrease in the number of pilgrims visiting for darshan.
The two -month long holy Amarnath pilgrimage will culminate on Sawan Purnima falling on August 29 when the holy mace (Chhari Mubarak led by Mahant Deepender Giri Mahant of Chhari Mubarak, Dashnami Akhara will reach the cave shrine for darshan. The day also coincides with Raksha Bhandan festival.
The holy mace will leave for cave shrine from Dashnami Akhara on August 25 at 8 am under tight security arrangements after traditional Chhari Poojan for a night halt at Pahalgam. The pooja of holy mace will also be performed at Durga Nag, temple, Srinagar, Shiv Temple Pampore, Shiv Temple Bijbehara, Martand Tirath and Ganesh Temple across the river Lidder in Ganeshbal Pahalgam enroute.
The Chhari Mubarak will leave Pahalgam for night halt at Chandanwari on August 26 and after the subsequent night halts at Sheshnag and Panchtarni, the Chhari Mubarak will reach cave shine in the wee hours of August 29 to perform darshan and return to Panchtarni on the same day.
Earlier the traditional Charri -Poojan will be performed at Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar on Naag Panchmi falling on August 19.
Meanwhile Governor, N. N. Vohra, who is Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), in a meeting held at the Raj Bhavan Srinagar today with P.K. Tripathi, Chief Executive Officer, and Jitendra K. Singh, Additional CEO SASB, reviewed the progress of the Yatra since August 1 i.e. during the first 7 days of the Shravan month .
The CEO informed the Governor that in the first week of Shravan month, more than 20,771 yatris paid obeisance at the Holy Cave and, till date, 3,36,055 yatris have had darshan at the Cave Shrine.
The Governor re-iterated directions for continuous review of cleanliness and sanitation, adequacy of essential supplies, health services etc. and stressed the crucial importance of providing timely medical assistance to any pilgrim or service provider who falls ill or meets with an accident in the Yatra area.
The Governor issued directions to the CEO and the Additional CEO to undertake an early visit to the Yatra area, accompanied by senior officers of SASB, PDA and other concerned organizations, to undertake a critical assessment of the adequacy of facilities and arrangements which have been put in place for the facilitation of the Yatris. He also asked the CEO to finalise the implementation of Action Plan of all repair works which may be required to be carried out in the post-Yatra period, keeping in view the limited working period available after the end of Yatra on August, 29 the last day of darshan.
Meanwhile, a Spokesperson of the SASB said that the pilgrimage to the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Amarnathji is progressing smoothly on both the routes, adding that over three lakh thirty six thousand pilgrims had performed darshan at the Holy Cave Shrine so far since the commencement of this year’s pilgrimage on July 2 from Baltal and Pahalgam routes.
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