The annual ‘Chhari-Sthapana’ ceremony, marking the commencement of the Chhari-Mubarak Swami Amarnathji Yatra, was solemnly performed with the chanting of Vedic hymns on Sunday at Shri Amareshwar Temple, located in the Mahadev Gir Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar.
The rituals were conducted in the morning by a group of sadhus led by Mahant Deependra Giri and lasted for more than two hours.
The Chhari-Mubarak (Holy Mace), one symbolizing Lord Shiva and the other Goddess Parvati, will remain at the Dashnami Akhara temple in Srinagar for public ‘darshan’ until it begins its main journey towards the Amarnath shrine on 4 August.
“Pilgrims and the general public will have the privilege of ‘darshan’ of the Holy Mace at Shri Amareshwar Temple, Dashnami Akhara, from 11 AM to 1 PM and 6 PM to 8 PM,” said Mahant Deependra Giri.
The Chhari-Mubarak will depart on 4 August from Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar, for the holy shrine of Swami Amarnath, situated at an altitude of 13,500 feet in South Kashmir. Traditional pujan and rituals will be performed at the shrine on the auspicious occasion of Shravan Purnima, which falls on 9 August this year.
‘The True Trust’, founded by Mahant Deependra Giri in 2004, has made all necessary arrangements, as in previous years, for sadhus and the needy pilgrims coming from across the country. The trust is providing food, tented accommodation, and transportation to those participating in the annual Chhari-Mubarak Swami Amarnath Ji Yatra.