Excelsior Correspondent
GANDERBAL, Aug 29: Scores of Kashmiri Pandit devotees took a holy dip at Gangbal Lake and performed Mahashardha of the departed souls after installing Ganga Charri at Gangbal Lake on the auspicious Ganga Ashtami today during the 9th Annual Harmukh Ganga (Gangbal) Yatra 2017.
According to a statement issued by vice president of Harmukh Ganga Trust (HGGT) King C Bharati the holy Ganga Charri was today installed in the morning at holy lake where devotees performed Puja archana and later performed Sharadha of their departed ones as the lake is considered as the most pious place to immerse the ashes of the departed souls and performing their Sharhda.
Bharati said that the yatra led by HGGT general secretary and APMCC Chairman Vinod Pandit and HGGT president Anil Bhat left Trinkhul camp this morning and reached the holy lake to perform the annual rituals.
The devotees took a holy dip in the lake after performing rituals and later returned to Trinkhul base from where the yatra would descend to Naran Nag base camp tomorrow morning where the yatra would finally culminate.
HGGT is the sole trust for organizing the annual yatra supported by All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) since 2009 when the yatra was restarted to the holy Gangbal lake 14500 ft above the sea level in mountainous North East Harmukh (Himalyan) range.
With the return of Yatris to Naran Nag tomorrow after performing religious rituals at holy Gangbal lake the four day long Gangbal yatra culminated today.
The Yatra started under the leadership of Vinod Pandit, Chairman APMCC and general secretary HGGT on August 28 from Naraan Nag where Charri Pujan was performed at historic Naran Nag temple and after tracking 18 km long hilly terrain Holy Charri reached Gangbal today where Charri was installed and Ganga Puja performed amid religious fervor.
While DC and SSP Ganderbal flagged off the yatra formally senior civil, police and army officers besides DSP Umar and SHO Kangan Nisar Ahmed also attended the Charri Pujan ceremony at Naran Nag temple on August 28.
Anil Bhat president of the Trust said that the yatra has seen significant growth over the past nine years adding the Charri Pujan of Ganga Charri at Naran Nag was conducted at 8 am today while the Holy Charri was flagged off at 8:30 am.
HGGT senior members who attended the yatra include Anil Bhat President HGGT, Vinod Pandit, General Secretary HGGT, Ravinder Badam Executive Member HGGT, Chand Ji Bhat, Shadi Lal Sharma, Ashok Singh Jamwal, Pradeep Pandita, Sunil Kumar, Vinay Koul, Er Sunil Kaul, Vineet Raina, Rohit Raina, Kamal Ji besides scores of other Pandit yatries.
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