Chhari Mubarak leaves for Amarnath shrine

'Chhari Mubarak', the saffron-robed holy mace of Lord Shiva, today joined the annual pilgrimage to 3,880 metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, marking the final phase of the 44-day Yatra.
The saffron-robed mace was taken from its Dashnami Akhara abode at Budshah Chowk in Srinagar to Pahalgam by a group of Sadhus and pilgrims led by its custodian Mahant Deependra Giri, officials said.
On way to Pahalgam, special rituals and prayers were offered at Sureshwar temple in Srinagar, Shiv temples in Pampore and Bijbehara, 'Martand-Tirth' in Mattan and Ganesh temple at Ganeshbal, the officials said.
They said after night halts at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panjtarni, the holy mace will be carried to the cave shrine on August 10 on the occasion of 'Shravan-Purnima' coinciding 'Raksha Bandhan' festival, making the conclusion of the yatra.

The yatra began from Baltal route in Ganderbal district on June 28 and Pahalgam route on July 2 and so far over 3.68 lakh pilgrims had paid their obeisance at the shrine, housing the naturally formed ice-shivlingam.
As many as 43pilgrims died, mostly of natural causes especially cardiac arrest, during the pilgrimage.