Traditional Chhari Procession Begins : Amarnath Yatra

KONS- Symbolising the last leg of the Amarnath pilgrimage, a traditional procession carrying Chari Mubarak or the silver mace of lord Shiva, was taken out on Monday from a temple here for the cave shrine in the Kashmir Himalayas, 141 kilometers south of here.
Led by Mahant Deependra Giri, the head priest and the custodian of the Holy Mace, the procession began its six day journey to the cave shrine amid Vedic chants from Shri Amareshwar Temple in the morning.
The cave situated at an altitude of 3,888 meters houses an ice stalagmite which resembles Shivlingam.
Mahant Giri offered puja in the Amareshwar temple, located at a stones throw distance from the headquarters of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation (JKLF). Mahant lauded the role of the locals for extending all help to pilgrims and making the pilgrimage successful. We will pray for the peace and prosperity in the state at the holy cave, he said and expressed satisfaction that the pilgrimage remained peaceful.
He said the Chhari-Sthapana ceremony was performed at Shri Amareshwar temple on August 2, where the holy Mace was kept for darshan of devotees.
As described in scriptures, Chhari Pujan is an important ritual performed traditionally on Nag-Panchami (Shravan Shukla Paksha Panchmi) before the commencement of yatra.
However during the height of Kashmir insurgency yatra was widely promoted and the duration extended to two months from traditional 15 days.
Already 6.50 lakh pilgrims from all across India have visited the cave shrine since June 29 with a hope to have a glimpse of the Shiv Lingam.
However the unprecedented rush of pilgrims this year coupled with rise in temperatures has contributed to the ice Shivling in the holy mountain cave completely melting away more than 10 days before the end of the yatra.
Mahant Giri said before eruption of pro-independence uprising in Kashmir, Sadhus on foot carrying Chhari- Mubarak used to start their journey for holy shrine only after Chari-Pujan. Chhari-Mubarak is kept in the temple for Darshan till commencement of main course of pilgrimage and it will reach the cave Shrine on Shravan-Purnima that falls on August 13.
He said, The True Trust founded by him has made all the arrangements, including food, accommodation and transportation, for sadhus and other devotees coming from across the country during the pilgrimage.
As per age old customs the devotees, led by Mahant Giri, holding the holy Mace visited the historic Shankarcharya temple atop Mount Solomon last week on the occasion of Haryalic-Amavasya.
The Mace was taken to Sharika-Bhawani Temple in the downtown city to pay obeisance to the Goddess after that.
After night halts at Pampore, Bijbehara, Martand, Aishmuquam, Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheshnag, Panchtarani the silver mace would reach the holy cave on Shravan-Purnima the Raksha-Bandhan day.
Pilgrimage will conclude on August 13 when the holy Mace will be taken inside the cave shrine.