30000 visit Budha Amarnath Shrine

Over 30,000 pay obeisance at Budha Amarnath, hundreds visit Thajewara shrine

Over 30,000 pilgrims along with Swami Vishwanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj the custodian of holy mace of Lord Shiva paid obeisance at Budha Amarnath Temple in Mandi teshil of Poonch district today.

The Chhari Mubarak which was led by Swami Ji from Dashnami Akhara Poonch on August 11 morning had reached the Budha Amarnath shrine late in the evening on the same day.

The Chhari Mubarak was accompanied by thousands of devotees and Sadhus drawn from different parts of the State. After paying obeisance in the ancient temple of Lord Shiva at Budha Amarnath, the Chhari Mubarak left for Dashnami Akhara Poonch where Swami Ji will deliver religious discourses tomorrow.

With the performance of darshan by holy mace at Budha Amarnath the 12 day long yatra of Budha Amarnath which started on August 2 culminated today.

During the 12 days yatra one lakh devotees drawn from different parts of the country visited the Budha Amarnath shrine and paid obeisance there.

The authorities had made elaborate arrangements for the pilgrims. Over 80 langers were organized for the yatris enroute and Poonch by various social and religious organizations.

According to reports hundreds of pilgrims drawn from different parts of the State today visited the Pracheen Amarnath shrine in Thajewara (Bijbehara) in South Kashmir district of Anantnag and paid obeisance there. Besides the Kashmiri Pandits from different parts of the Valley, the newly appointed migrant employees and devotees drawn from different parts of Jammu also visited the holy shrine to offer the prayers there. The district administration Anantnag and Prabandhak Committee Bijbehara had made elaborate arrangements for the pilgrims.

It may be recalled that thousands of pilgrims used to visit the holy shrine of Lord Shiva at Thajewara before the militancy in 1989. However, no pilgrim could visit the shrine for over one and half decade of turmoil where the dharamshalla and temple was also damaged by the militants.

But after the renovation of temple some years back by the Prabandhak Committee the yatra to this ancient shrine was restored and for the first time in last 22 years of turmoil hundreds of pilgrims visited the shrine this year.

Meanwhile the festival of Sawan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan was celebrated with traditional religious fervour and gaiety in the State today. There was beeline of devotees in Shiv Mandir, Jammu, Shiv Mandir near Tawi bridge, Shiv Mandir Canal and Aap Shamboo Mandir, Roop Nagar, since early in the morning.

In connection with celebration of Raksha Bandhan and Sawan Purnima a grand function was also held at Sanjeevani Kuteer, Krishna Satsangh Bhawan, Bohri where a large number of devotees participated.

On the occasion Anand Swami Pran Nath Bhat Gareeb commonly known as Bhai Jee gave a thought provoking lecture and stressed on unity and Shiv devotion. He said Lord Shiva is finally source of joy and devotion who liberates devotees from deep miseries and bondages of world.

The Sawan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festival were celebrated at Kathua, Hiranagar, Bani, Basohli, Udhampur, Ramban, Samba and other parts of Jammu region also with fervour and gaiety.