Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 31: Annual pilgrimage of Chhari-Mubarak Swami Amarnath Ji culminated today at Pahalgam with the performance of its last rituals i.e ‘Pujan’ & ‘Visarjan’, at the bank of river Lidder. Large number of Sadhus, pilgrims and few tourists who had come from various parts of the country joined the Pujan. Later, ‘Karri-Pakouri’ Bhandara was organized and ‘Dakshina’ was offered.
All the arrangements including transportation, accommodation and food for the Sadhus and people from general public who had accompanied Chhari-Mubarak during Swami Amarnathji Yatra were made by ‘the True Trust’ founded by Mahant Deependra Giri ji in year 2004.
Chhari-Mubarak was taken to Holy Shrine of Swami Amarnathji on 29th of August on the occasion of ‘Sharavan-Purnima’ and main Pujan started 1400hrs due to ‘Bhadra’. Later Pujan was performed with Vedic Mantras and special prayers were offered for the peace and prosperity of the world and Jammu and Kashmir State in particular. Officials from the different arms of State administration along with Special Director General CRPF had joined the Pujan.
Addressing the gathering after the culminating ceremony, Mahant Deependra Giri Ji congratulated and thanked the State administration & district administration of Anantnag in particular, Indian Army, B.S.F., C.R.P.F., J&K Police, Health Department, PHE, PDD, all the agencies connected with making arrangements for the Yatra and people of Jammu & Kashmir for successful Yatra. He appreciated the services rendered by all the voluntary organizations for providing langar, medical and other essential facilities to the pilgrims during the pilgrimage.
Mahant Ji also suggested that registration process should be made more simple and flawless as numerous pilgrims, this year, were not allowed to proceed for pilgrimage due to mismatch of day and date of registration slip. He also suggested setting up current registration counter at Nunwan base camp and to devise a mechanism by which pilgrims having valid registration with future date of reporting may also be allowed to proceed for pilgrimage till total quota of a particular day is exhausted.
Better and widened track, modern night shelters and better medical facilities are in need keeping in view of increasing influx of pilgrims year over year, he said. He also suggested that tented accommodation may be replaced by the wooden huts on the pattern of huts built by Pahalgam Development Authority which have survived in hostile weather conditions and are in place for more than 2-3 decades at Sheshnag and Panchtarani.
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