Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 20: Though there was a sudden fall in the Amarnath pilgrimage during the last three days due to cloudburst and blocking of Srinagar- Baltal route, the number of yatris paying obeisance at holy cave increased today with restoration of Baltal road for vehicular traffic.
According to an official spokesman, 12, 479 pilgrims paid obeisance at holy cave on the 19th day of yatra today. With this, the total number of pilgrims performing darshan in holy cave situated at an altitude of 3880 metres in South Kashmir’s district of Anantnag has gone up to 2,57,334.
The Srinagar -Baltal Highway which remained closed for three days due to cloudburst and landslides has been restored for traffic. This was also informed to the Governor N N Vohra who is also the Chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board by P K Tripathi, CEO of the Board during a review meeting held at Srinagar today.
So far 24 deaths have been reported on yatra route since the Yatra commenced from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here on July 1. They included 21 yatris, one sevadar, one Sadhu and one civilian, a spokesman said.
A fresh batch of 1342 pilgrims also left Baghwati Nagar Yatri Niwas for holy cave under tight security measures in a cavalcade of 38 vehicles this morning, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Mahant Deependra Giri Ji, Mahant Chhari-Mubarak Shri Amarnath Ji announced the program for Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2015 for the information of saints and general public.
As per the itinerary the holy mace will leave for Shri Amarnath Ji cave from Dashnami Akhara Srinagar on August 25 at 8 am after traditional Chhari poojan for night halt at Pahalgam. On the way to Pahalgam, Poojan will be performed at Durga Nag, Sureshwar Temple, Srinagar, Shiv Temple Pampore, Shiv Temple Bijbehara, Martand Tirath and Ganesh Temple across the river Lidder Ganeshbal.
The Chhari Mubarak will leave Pahalgam for night halt at Chandanwari on August 26 at 2 pm. It will start onwards journey from Chandanwari to Sheshnag at 7 am on August 27. On August 28 morning it will leave from Sheshnag to Panchtarni the last halting station to holy cave and in the morning of August 29 i.e on Shravan Purnima coinciding with Rakshabandhan it will leave for holy cave to perform darshan of Ice Lingam.
After paying obeisance at holy cave the Chhari Mubarak will return to Panchtarni on the same day where after a night halt it will leave for Pahalgam.
On August 31 Pujan and Visarjan will be performed at river Lidder in the forming and traditional Pakouri , Bhandara will be organized for Sadhus.
Mahant Ji said as per age old tradition, rituals namely ‘Bhoomi-Pujan’, ‘Navgrah Pujan’ and ‘Dhawajarohan’ connected with commencement of annual Chhari-Mubarak Shri Amarnathji Yatra shall be performed at Pahalgam on auspicious occasion of ‘Ashad-Purnima’ (Vyas-Purnima) that falls on Friday, the 31st of July, this year.
After performing the Chhari-Pujan at Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar on ‘Nag-Panchami’, falling on August 19, Mahant Deependra Giri ji will carry the Holy Mace to Cave Shrine of Shri Amarnath Ji to have ‘Darshan’ on ‘Shravan-Purnima’, the 29th of August.
In a communication sent to the State Government, Mahant Deependra Giri has urged to put a contingency plan in place as there was possibility of heavy downpour or snowfall during the period whenever ‘Shravan-Purnima’ the day of main ‘Darshan’ falls in fourth week of August.
Mahant Ji said the Dashnami Akhara Trust, Srinagar has made all the arrangements like yester years for Sadhus coming from across the country for annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji for their food and comfortable stay at Akhara building, Budshah Chowk, Srinagar.
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