Nuzhat Mushtaq
Srinagar: The 52-day Amarnath Yatra is set to conclude today, August 19, in Jammu and Kashmir, with nearly 500,000 pilgrims having visited the shrine in the Himalayas. The ‘Chhari Mubarak’ procession, led by Mahant Swami Deependra Giri, began its final leg from Panchtarni to the holy cave this morning. The yatra commenced on June 29 and will end today, coinciding with ‘Shravan Purnima’ and the Raksha Bandhan festival, amidst tight security.
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Traditional ‘puja’ and rituals will be performed, followed by daylong prayers for global peace and human prosperity. The Chhari Mubarak will then return to Panchtarni. After leaving its seat at Dashnami Akhara temple in Srinagar on August 14, the procession paid obeisance at various temples en route, staying at Pahalgam for two nights before proceeding to the cave shrine on August 16.
Swami Deependra Giri expressed satisfaction with the improved arrangements made by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) and the union territory administration for the pilgrims. He noted that the increased facilities, including the widened track to the cave shrine, have led to a higher influx of pilgrims. Special prayers will be offered for global peace, human prosperity, and the well-being of India, including J&K.
