Srinagar, Aug 9 (PTI) Chhari Mubarak, the saffron-robed holy mace of Lord Shiva, was Saturday carried to the Amarnath holy cave shrine for traditional prayers and rituals, marking the ceremonial conclusion of the annual pilgrimage, officials said.
They said that after a night’s halt, the Chhari Mubarak left Panchtarani camp in the morning on the occasion of ‘Sharavan Purnima’. Traditional ‘puja’ and rituals were performed amid the chanting of Vedic hymns.
Special prayers led by Mahant Deependra Giri, the custodian of the holy mace, were held at the holy cave shrine, the officials said.
After the ‘aarti’ was concluded, the holy mace left for Panchtarani for a night halt. On Sunday, the Chhari Mubarak will leave for Pahalgam where ‘pujan’ and ‘visarjan’ ceremonies will be held on Monday on the banks of river Lidder.
More than 4.14 lakh pilgrims performed the annual Amarnath Yatra this year as the pilgrimage was concluded on August 2 in the wake of bad weather and slippery route conditions.
Last year, 5.10 lakh yatris had ‘darshan’ of the naturally formed ‘ice lingam’ at the holy cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas. PTI SSB MNK MNK
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