JAMMU, Aug 11: With the immersion of relics and performance of other religious rituals, the annual pilgrimage of Chhari-Mubarak Swami Amarnath Ji culminated today at the bank of river Lidder at Pahalgam in South Kashmir district of Anantnag.
The last rituals including ‘Pujan’ and ‘Visarjan’, were performed on the bank of river Lidder in a traditional way and religious fervour by Sadhus and devotees led by Mahant Deependra Giri Ji. Besides Sadhus, security personnel, few tourists who had come from various parts of the country and residents of Anantnag district participated in the Pujan. Later, ‘Karri-Pakouri’ Bhandara was organized, and ‘Dakshina’ was offered to one and all.
Addressing the gathering after the culminating ceremony, Mahant Deependra Giri Ji congratulated and thanked Indian Army, B.S.F., C.R.P.F., I.T.B.P., J&K Police, Health Department, PHE, PDD and all the agencies connected with the pilgrimage for making arrangements for the Yatra and people of Jammu & Kashmir for successful Yatra wherein over four lakh pilgrims visited the holy Shrine of Swami Amarnath Ji to have Darshan and pay obeisance. He appreciated the services rendered by all the voluntary organizations for providing langar, medical and other essential facilities to the pilgrims during the pilgrimage.
Mahant Ji lauded the services rendered by NDRF, SDRF and MRT teams. The only regret Mahant Ji expressed was about the suspension of annual pilgrimage unexpectedly a week before the ‘Shravan Purnima’ from both the routes that resulted in hurting the sentiments of thousands of pilgrims and causing lots of inconvenience to them. This was the fourth consecutive year that pilgrimage was stopped without any notice or information prior to the closure and the registered pilgrims were deprived of their religious right to have ‘Darshan’ on Shravan Purnima which has the utmost religious significance said in our scriptures, Mahant Ji added.
He appealed to the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) and the administration that if for any reason pilgrimage has to be closed/suspended prematurely in future; it must be publicized on national level at least a week before the closure through electronic and print media. All the arrangements including transportation, accommodation and food for the Sadhus, people from the general public and security personnel who had accompanied Chhari-Mubarak during Swami Amarnath Ji Yatra were made by ‘The True Trust’ founded by Mahant Deependra Giri Ji in year 2004.
After the immersion ceremony and other rituals the Chhari Mubarak left for its abode Dashnami Akhara Srinagar.