Srinagar, Aug 25 : The Chhari Mubarak, holy Silver Mace of Lord Shiva, reached Panjtarni on Friday to leave on Sunday for holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, where final puja will be held tomorrow.
The Mace reached Panjtarni at a height of 12,000 feet yesterday from Sheshanag after covering the 4.6 km distance, including climbing a steep height across Mahagunas pass at 14,000 feet on foot. The track to Mahagunas is full of rivulets, water falls and springs. At Panjtarni, at the feet of ‘Bhairav Mount’, Five Rivers flow which apparently originated from Lord Shiva’s Hair (Jataon).
The Chhari Mubarak, accompanied by large number of devotees, including Sadhus, had night halt at Panjtarni. It will also rest at Panjtarni tonight also.
The Chhari will leave for holy cave on August 26 morning and pilgrims have to come across the Sangam of Amravati and Panjtarni rivers. Some pilgrims will take bath at Amravati near the Holy Cave before going for Darshan. There are two smaller Shivlings one of Maa Parvati and other of Ganesh. However, the self-made Ice-Shivlings have since melted due to warm weather and heavy rush of pilgrims.
The annual yatra will conclude on August 26 after the daylong puja at the cave shrine and Chhari will start return journey same evening.
After performing puja in the cave shrine, the holy mace will start its return journey to Panjtarni in the evening.
Having a night halt at Panjtarni, it will return next day to Pahalgam, where the Sadhus will be served ‘Kari Pakoda’ as ‘Prashad’ on the bank of river Lidder as per the old tradition after immersion ceremony and performance of other rituals next day. Later, the Chhari Mubarak will leave for its abode at Amreshwar Temple Dashnami Akhara, Srinagar marking the culmination of two-month-long yatra.
