Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 20: Over 5000 pilgrims performed darshan at holy cave of Swami Amarnath Ji situated at an altitude of 13,000 feet from sea level in deep Himalayas in South Kashmir district of Anantnag on 19th day of yatra today while 3200 pilgrims left for holy cave from Baltal base camp and 3280 from Pahalgam via traditional Chandawari track.
According to an official spokesman, 5,135 pilgrims paid obeisance at holy cave today. With this, the total number of yatris paying obeisance to Ice Lingam in cave shrine since the 48 day long yatra started on July 2 has touched 1,87,903.
He said among the 3,280 pilgrims who left for holy cave from the longest Chandanwari track, 1150 left from Nunwan base camp while the rest left from hotels and others private restaurants in Pahalgam.
He said 300 pilgrims reached Pahalgam by this evening after performing darshan at holy cave. The spokesman said though remaining stranded for 24 hours at Banihal due to violence and killing of three persons at Qazigund on July 18 evening, the yatra was resumed late last night and 5269 pilgrims reported at Baltal today. Besides 3280 pilgrims reached Pahalgam early this morning and later they left for the darshan of holy cave.
The spokesman said that the weather at holy cave as well as on both the tracks was pleasant today.
He said one pilgrim identified as Girdhari Gopal, 68 S/o Ram Narayan R/o Pushkar Ajmer, Rajasthan died at Zojibal due to cardiac arrest. With this, the total number of pilgrims who died during ongoing yatra has reached to 17. They included a CRPF jawan and a porter.
A fresh batch of 1000 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Jammu Yatri Niwas for holy cave this afternoon under tight security arrangements in a cavalcade of 29 vehicles. These yatris had reached near Ramsoo till last reports came in and were on their way to base camps of Nunwan-Pahalgam and Baltal.
Meanwhile, amid chanting of vedic hymns, special prayers were offered at Pahalgam traditional base camp for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage on Vyas Purnima, marking the commencement of the religious yatra.
The saffron-robed holy mace of Lord Shiva popularly known as ‘Chhari Mubarak’, carried by custodian Mahant Deependra Giri, was taken from its abode at Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar to Pahalgam on Vyas-Purnima which marks the commencement of annual pilgrimage traditionally, a spokesman of ‘True Trust’ said.
Bhoomi-Pujan, Navgreh-Pujan, Chhari-Pujan and Dhawajarohan ceremonies were performed on the occasion.
The Trust, founded by Mahant Deependra Giri in 2004, said these are important rituals prior to main course of annual pilgrimage.
“The sound of conch shell reverberated through the whole atmosphere,” the spokesman said, adding that sizable number of Sadhus and pilgrims were present on the occasion and also participated in the ‘Pujan’.
The holy mace will return to its abode in Srinagar and will join the pilgrimage on August 13 after special prayers at various temples in the next couple of weeks, he said.
Giri also reiterated his demand for restricting the pilgrimage to the tradition guided by scriptures.
“Swami Amarnath Ji Yatra is a pilgrimage and it should be arranged and undertaken in that perspective only and pilgrims should follow the tradition in our scriptures,” Deependra Giri said.
He said people of Jammu and Kashmir irrespective of their caste, creed or religion have been cooperating and encouraging the pilgrims and Sadhus who come here from across the country and abroad for the annual pilgrimage.
In wake of the prevailing law-and-order situation, the Chhari was not taken to Martand Tirth temple at Mattan en route to Pahalgam this morning.
“We regret not being allowed to visit Martand Tirth, Mattan,” Deependra Giri said.
Expressing concern over the unrest which left more than 40 people dead in the violence-hit Valley, Mahant Giri asked for a mechanism to ensure such incidents are not repeated.
“All the quarters concerned need to put their heads together to devise a mechanism to ensure that there is no recurrence of such mishaps in future,” he said.
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