Holy Mace to reach Amarnath

6.35 lakh yatris perform darshan Chhari Mubarak to reach cave today

The holy mace (Chhari Mubarak) of Lord Shiva reached Panchtarni from Sheshnag this afternoon.

Led by Mahant Deependra Giri, custodian of Lord Shiva’s holy mace, hundreds of devotees and Sadhus accompanied it. The holy mace had reached Sheshnag yesterday evening from Chandanwari and after traditional Chhari Poojan at Sheshnag it left for Panchtarni, the last camp before the holy cave situated at an altitude of 13500 feet in South Kashmir district of Anantnag early this morning.

Soon after reaching Panchtarni, Chhari Poojan was performed by Mahant Ji. Braving the heavy rain fall, hundreds of Saints and devotees besides jawans of CRPF and J&K Police participated in Chhari Poojan.

The holy mace will leave for cave shrine early tomorrow morning on the occasion of Shravan Purnima to pay its obeisance to Ice Shivlingam of Lord Shiva. After the traditional Pooja -Archana in the holy cave, it will return to Panchtarni late in the afternoon. After a night halt at Panchtarni, the holy mace will reach Chandanwari on August 14. Next day it will move towards Pahalgam where after the Chhari Poojan at the bank of river Lidder, Chhari Visarjan (immersion of holy mace) will be performed on August 15. This will be followed by a Bhandara for Sadhus and devotees.

With this, the 46 -day long Swami Amarnath Ji yatra which started on June 29, will culminate.

The Chhari Mubarak had left Dashnami Akhara Srinagar on August 8 for holy cave and reached Pahalgam the same day.

Enroute to Pahalgam Chhari Poojan was performed at Durga Nag temple, Srinagar, Pampore, Awantipora, Bijbehara, Nagbal Anantnag, Tirath Raj Martand (Mattan) Aishmuqam and Pahalgam.

Meanwhile, 700 pilgrims performed darshan at holy cave today. With 6,34,360 yatris performing darshan in holy cave till late last night the number has reached to 6,35,060, a Yatra Officer said. This is the record number of pilgrims visiting the holy cave so far.

He said out of them 2,84,201 yatris have visited via traditional Pahalgam-Chandanwari track while 3,39,154 took shortest Baltal route.

Out of 6,34, 360 pilgrims who had visited holy cave, 6.30 lakh have returned to their home States while the rest were on their way back. The pilgrims, who paid obeisance in holy cave yesterday, were on their way to Pahalgam and Baltal base camps, he added.

The Yatra Officer said 444 pilgrims left for holy cave from twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal early this morning. Out of them only 21 pilgrims left via Nunwan-Chandanwari track while 423 left via Baltal route.

He said the heavy rains lashed both the tracks right from Baltal as well as Pahalgam to holy cave today but there was no disturbance in the movement of yatra which continued smoothly.

As tomorrow being the last day of darshan, no Yatri left for holy cave from Jammu today. It may be recalled that last batch of 10 pilgrims had left for holy cave from here yesterday morning.