Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Aug 10: Nearly 40,000 pilgrims, mostly from outside the State, performed Darshan at Shri Budha Amarnath ji shrine at Rajpura Mandi in district Poonch on the occasion of `Raksha Bandhan’ today.
Official sources said that Charri led by Shri 1008 Maha Mandleshwar Swami Vishavatmanand Saraswati ji Maharaj Mahant reached the shrine the day before yesterday. Thousands of pilgrims accompanying Chhari after traditional Pooja performed Darshan today. Even on Saturday, over 30,000 people paid their obeisance at the shrine. Several top leaders of VHP, Bajrang Dal, S D Sabha and Poonch Akhara Mandir Committee members also attended special Pooja.
There was huge rush of pilgrims at the shrine and the Deputy Commissioner M H Malik and SSP Shamsheer Hussain besides other officers were monitoring the yatra arrangements. Elaborate security arrangements were done at the shrine by the district administration. The free movement of vehicles was also ensured in the busy and congested Mandi Bazaar. Eight Langars have been set up for the pilgrims at Mandi and its surroundings for the yatris. Today was the last day of the `darshan’ at the shrine during this annual yatra.
The top priests led by Swami ji performed special prayers at the shrine this morning, followed by thousands of other devotees. Several VIPs also paid visit to the shrine today. Local MLA/ MLCs and some prominent people also joined Chhari Yatra. Chhari would return to Akhara Mandir tomorrow after covering 26 kms distance. The main concluding function will be held at Akhara Mandir tomorrow evening.
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