Shri Budha Amarnathji Yatra 2012

A batch of 1016 pilgrims, majority of them from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab reached Poonch from Jammu in 29 vehicles here this evening.

The pilgrims were given receptions at Sunderbani, Rajouri, BG and at Poonch town where they will take night halt today.

The batch of pilgrims was received at Poonch by SSP Shamsheer Hussain, Addl SP, Poonch, Yougal Manhas, Yatra Nodal Officer Ashok Kumar besides SD Sabha president, VHP district body members, Akhara Mandir management committee and other prominent citizens.

District Administration, management committees of various religious bodies of Poonch have made elaborate boarding and lodging and other logistic arrangements for the yatris. ‘Langars’ have been set up by Akhara Mandir committee and Baba Biram Shah shrine management committee with the support of social organizations. Many locals are offering their services in the Langars.

These pilgrims have been accommodated at college, Higher Secondary schools, Geeta Bhawan and ITI building. These pilgrims will leave for Mandi town in the morning where shrine of Budha Amarnathji is located.

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.

Buda Amarnath Yatra 2011

The 13 day long Buda Amarnath yatra was inaugurated at Yatri Niwas Bhagwati Nagar here today. The yatra, which will start from here tomorrow will culminate on Sawan Purnima full Moon coinciding with Raksha Bandhan festival on August 13 at Buda Amarnath temple in Mandi Poonch.

A large number of people including leaders and activists of VHP, Bajrang Dal and Baba Amarnath and Buda Amarnath Yatri Niyas were present on the occasion.

The function started with Maha Yagya and flag hoisting ceremony. Later addressing a gathering the VHP national secretary and spokesperson, Dr Surinder Jain said that his organization wants that Buda Amarnath should also gain countrywide popularity like Swami Amarnath yatra.

He said Swami Amarnath yatra has become popular throughout the country and every Hindu is associated with it. The VHP and BD want that the Buda Amarnath yatra should be run on the same pattern, he added.

He said the Buda Amarnath yatra was running from centuries together but after the militancy gripped the State in 1989-90, this yatra was stopped in the wake of migration of Hindus from Poonch villages. Later Bajrang Dal took a challenge in 2005 to run this yatra and since then the Buda Amarnath yatra is running smoothly.

He said last year over 1.5 lakh pilgrims from different parts of country perform darshan at Buda Amarnath and it is expected that the number will increase this year.

Dr Jain stressed on revival of all religious yatras in J&K and urged the Government to take effective steps in this regard. He said in case the Government faces any problem in reviving these yatras the BD will provide all assistance and cooperation to it.

Stressing on Niyas and Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) cooperation he said, the Board should not side track Niyas and any controversy on yatra should be avoided.

The BJP MLA from Nagrota, Jugal Kishore Sharma was special guest on the occasion. While the function among others was attended by Divisional Commissioner Jammu Dr Pawan Kotwal, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma, Director Health Services, Jammu Dr Madhu Khullar, SSP Jammu, Anant Jain, Drug Controller, Dr Satish Gupta, BD national convener, Subash Chauhan, co-convener Rajesh Pandey, VHP state president Dr Rama Kant Dubey, BABAYN chief Surinder Mohan Aggarwal and others