SRINAGAR, Aug 8: ‘Bam Bam Bholay and Har Har Mahadev’, rented in the air when ‘Chhari Mubarak’, holy Silver Mace of Lord Shiva left Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on traditional track, for Sheshnag this morning on the occasion of ‘ Dwadashi-Tryodashi’ .
The Chhari will have night halt at Sheshnag, where a special pujan will be held.
The Mace, carried by Deependra Giri, custodian of holy Mace, reached Chandanwari yesterday from Pahalgam base camp. Despite rain the Charri left Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on traditional Pahalgam route for Sheshnag early this morning.
Mahant Giri said tomorrow on the occasion of ‘ Tryodashi-Chaturdashi’ Chhari will leave Sheshnag for a night halt at Panchtarni.
Finally the Chhari will be taken to holy Cave shrine in the morning of August 10 from Panchtarni for a final Pujan, marking the end of annual 45-day-long pilgrimage this year on the occasion of Sharavan Purnima.
Mahant Giri said the Chhari will return to its abode at Deshnami Akhara on August 12 after organising traditional pujan and other rituals on way back from holy Cave. “We will pray for world peace, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, at the cave shrine, Mahant Giri said shortly before leaving from the shrine, where large number of devotees, including central government officials, Kashmiri pandits and security force personnel were present to have the glimpse of the Mace, which will reach the cave shrine on August 10 on the occasion of Rakshabandan.
He thanked everybody, particularly the people of Kashmir and said without their cooperation yatra would not have been successful.
The Silver Mace commenced its final journey of yatra-2014 to holy cave on August 6 at 0800 hrs in vehicles under heavy security arrangments.
However, before 90s, the Chhari was taken shortly before sunset from the Akhara on foot and had night halt at several halting stations before reaching to Pahalgam. Now for security reasons the Chhari is taken in a vehicle under unprecedented security arrangements and reaches Pahalgam same evening.
Despite rain, fresh batches of pilgrims, left base camps this morning for the holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, where so far more than 3.71 lakh yatris have paid obeisance since the commencement of the 45-day-long yatra from June 28.
However, this was more than 20000 against 2013 though it was about 3 lakh less than 2012 when record pilgrims 6.50 lakh yatris had darshan of the self made Ice-Shivlingam in the cave shrine. Official source said that despite rain, resulting in drop in the temperature since early this morning, a fresh batch of pilgrims, left Nunwan Pahalgam base camp. However, no pilgrim will be allowed from this camp from tomorrow as it will not be possible for them to cover the distance and join the Chhari-Mubarak, holy Mace of Lord Shiva which has reached Sheshnag today for night halt before starting journey on August 9 towards Panjterni, last halting station five-km short of holy Cave.
The annual pilgrimage will conclude on August 10, the Rakshabandhan day.
However, they said a fresh batch of pilgrims also left Baltal base camp for the holy cave this morning despite rain and cold weather conditions.
The pilgrims are likely to reach the cave shrine this afternoon, they said, adding that majority of these pilgrims will start their return journey after the darshan today or tomorrow morning.
However, the last batch of pilgrims from this route will be allowed even on the last day of darshan. Mahant Deependra Giri, custodian of the Chhari said pujan will be held inside the shrine on August 10 before starting return journey same day before the sun set. The Chhari will return to its abode at Deshnami Akhara on August 12 after organising traditional pujan and other rituals on way back from holy Cave, particularly at Pahalgam.
(AGENCIES)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel