Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 24: Yatra to holy cave of Shri Amarnath Ji was suspended after 10 am this morning due to snowfall near cave shrine and the track today.
This is the first snowfall of the season in the holy cave area. However, 512 yatris managed to pay obeisance in the cave shrine despite the snowfall on the 54th day of pilgrimage today taking the total number of yatris performing darshan of Ice Lingam during the ongoing yatra to 3,51,300.
The two-month long yatra which started from Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp here on July 1 will culminate on Shravan Purnima falling on August 29 after the holy mace reaches the cave shrine.
The holy mace will leave Dashnami Akhara Srinagar tomorrow and after performing pooja at various temples at Durga Naag Srinagar, Shiv Temple Pampore and Bijbehara, Sun Temple Mattan and Ganeshpora, Pahalgam it will reach cave shrine situated at an altitude of 3880 meters in South Kashmir’s district of Anantnag on August 29.
The holy mace led by Mahant Dependera Giri its custodian after performing darshan at cave shrine will proceed for Panchtarni on the same day. On August 30 it will leave for Pahalgam where after a night halt the relics will be immersed in the river Lidder and the Sadhus will be served prashad before leaving for Srinagar.