Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Aug 12: The holy Mace (Chhari Mubarak) of Lord Shiva will leave for cave shrine in South Kashmir district of Anantnag from its abode at Amreshwar temple, Akhara Building, Budshah Chowk, Srinagar early tomorrow morning.
Led by its custodian, Mahant Deependra Giri, devotees and Sadhus from across the country will participate in Chhari Yatra to holy cave which will reach there on Shrawan Purnima coinciding with Raksha Bandhan falling on August 18 thereby marking the culmination of 48 long annual Amarnath yatra which started on July 2.
This was stated by Mahant Deependra Giri while talking to Excelsior. He said enroute to holy cave, the Chhari Mubarak will pay obeisance at Durganag temple, and Sureshwar Mandir in Srinagar city, Shiv Temples of Pampore and Bijbehara, Sun temple of Martand, Gouri Shanker Mandir at Ganeshbal near Pahalgam before reaching Pahalgam in the evening.
He said the holy mace after two days halt at Pahalgam on August 13 and 14 will leave for Chandanwari on August 15 and after a night halt at Chandanwari it will proceed to Sheshnag next day. The holy mace will reach Panchtarni the last transit camp to cave shrine from Sheshnag on August 17. After a night halt at Panchtarni, it will proceed to holy cave in the early morning of Sharavan Purnima and besides paying obeisance to Lord Shiva there, it will perform traditional poojan at the cave shrine.
The Sadhus will pray for peace and prosperity of the State as well as country, he added.
The Mahant Ji said that in the evening the holy mace will start its return journey marking the culmination of annual Amarnath yatra and after a night halt at Panchtarni on August 18, it will leave for Pahalgam next morning.
The holy mace will reach the base camp in the evening of August 19 and after a night halt there it will perform religious rituals as per the traditions on the banks of river Lidder, besides immersion of relics on August 20 and later leave for Dashnami Akhara Srinagar on the same day.
Mahant Ji, while expressing his concern over the Valley unrest said that this year yatra has been affected by the violence in Kashmir and the number of pilgrims who visited the holy cave this time is lowest in last one decade.
Mahant Ji in his message to the people appealed them to work for restoration of peace in the Valley saying that all stakeholders should sit together to find an everlasting solution to the problem so that no human lives are lost in future.
While commenting on the arrangements for this year’s yatra, Mahant Ji said that arrangements were good but there is always scope for improving the same.
It may be recalled that “Chhari-Pujan” associated with annual Amarnath yatra, was performed on August 7 evening.
This was an important ritual to be performed traditionally on ‘Nag-Panchami’ (Shravan Shukla Paksha Panchami) before leaving for the main course of pilgrimage.
In the pre 90s, Sadhus carrying Chhari used to start their journey on foot for the holy cave in south Kashmir Himalayas immediately after this pujan. Having night halts at Pampore, Bijbehara, Anantnag, Martand, Aishmuqam, Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni, the Chhari-Mubarak would reach Holy Cave of Amarnath on ‘Shravan-Purnima’ the ‘Raksha-Bandhan’ day.
However, after 90s, the Chhari is being taken in a vehicle to Pahalgam after brief halts at different places on way.
Meanwhile, a fresh batch of 307 pilgrims performed darshan at holy cave today taking the total number of yatris paying obeisance to Ice Lingam till date to 2,19,601.
According to an official spokesman, 55 pilgrims left from Chandanwari to holy cave this morning while 59 returned from there after darshan. He said no yatri left by chopper to holy cave today and 30 pilgrims were staying at Nunwan for night halt while 60 returned to Jammu late last night.
The spokesman said 188 pilgrims left from Baltal to holy cave today while 254 reached Baltal from Jammu early this morning.
He said a fresh batch of 121 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Jammu Yatri Niwas for holy cave today in four buses under tight security arrangements.
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