‘Chhari Mubarak’ leaves for Amarnath cave shrine

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 20

As this year’s Amarnath yatra is nearing its end, the ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (holy mace) left for the holy cave shrine from the ‘Dashnami Akahra’ here on Monday. The sadhus promised to pray for the Kerala flood victims and peace in the country once they reached the shrine of Lord Shiva.

“When we reach the cave, we will pray for peace in the state and country. In Kerala there have been damages/ losses on a large scale. When we faced floods (in 2014), we also faced problems…. we will pray for them too,” custodian of the holy mace Mahant Deependra Giri told reporters before leading a group of sadhus to Pahalgam in south Kashmir — that serves as the base for the Amarnath yatra.

The ‘Charri Mubarak’ — one depicting Lord Shiva and another Goddess Parvati — left its abode at the Shri Amareshwar Temple, Dashnami Akahra, early in the morning and is scheduled to reach the cave shrine on August 26, the concluding day of the yatra. Traditionally, the Amarnath yatra concludes once the holy mace arrives at the cave shrine that is nestled in south Kashmir Himalayas at an altitude of around 13,500 feet.

The ‘Chhari Mubarak’ used to be taken out from the ‘Dashnami Akahra’ after sunset before the eruption of militancy more than 28 years ago. However, it now leaves early in the morning due to security reasons.