Chhari Mubarak taken to Shankaracharya temple for prayers

Mahant Deependra Giri, the custodian of the mace, carried the Chhari Mubarak from its abode Dashnami Akhara at Badshah Chowk to Shankaracharya temple this morning, officials said.

Accompanied by a group of sadhus and pilgrims, Giri offered special prayers to the mace at the temple, coinciding with 'Shravan-Amavasya' (Haryali-Amavasya) as per age-old traditions.

"Pujan was performed at the temple amid chanting of vedic hymns by the participants during prayers that lasted for more than an hour," the officials said.

'The True Trust', founded in year 2004 by Mahant Deependra Giri, said all the necessary arrangements would be made for sadhus and the needy coming from across the country to join Chhari-Mubarak Swami Amarnath Ji Yatra.

Chhari Mubarak will be taken to 'Sharika-Bhawani' Temple at Hari Parvat in interior city tomorrow to pay obeisance to the Goddess ahead of its joining the Amarnath yatra later this month.

The yatra commenced on June 25 from the twin tracks-- traditional 45-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and 16km Baltal route in Ganderbal district and is scheduled to end on August 2 with the arrival of the Chhari mubarak at the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas on the occasion of Raksha Bhandan festival.

So far over five lakh pilgrims have offered prayers at the cave shrine.