Holy mace leaves for Amarnath cave shrine
As the annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnathji Shrine is heading towards its culmination as holy Chhari Mubarak-the silver mace of Lord Shiva left Phalagam treading the traditional route upto the revered shrine on Monday. In the morning a group of Sadhus led by Mahant Deependra Giri-the custodian of the Chhari Mubarak held prayers amid the chanting Vedic hymns at Pahalgam.
The Charri Mubarak will reach Chandanwari on Tuesday. After night haltage at Sheshnag and Panchtarni on August 9 and 10 respectively, the holy mace will reach the cave shrine on Thursday.
This is the Holy Cave wherein Lord Shiva manifested into Ice Lingam and on the request of Goddess Parvati recounted the secret story by listening to which one gets rid of the cycle of life and death.
The Chhari Mubarak, one depicting Lord Shiva and another Goddess Parvati amid the chanting of ‘Bham Bham Bole’ by the priests left for the Cave shrine thereafter. Earlier Chhari Mubarak was taken to Shivaji Maharaj Harishchandra Mandir and Shri Martand Mandir in Bijbehara, where special pujas were performed.
The 43-day yatra to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva located in the upper reaches of Himalayas started from the twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal on June 30 and shall culminate on August 11 on the auspicious occasion of ‘Shravan Purnima’ coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan. Over three lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine, housing a naturally formed ice-shivling, this year.
On August 2 on the occasion of Nag Panchami (Shravan Shukla Paksha Panchami) Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today took part in Chhari pujan at Mahadev Gir Dashnami Akhada in Srinagar.
