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| Amarnath Yatra formally begins | | 13,000 pilgrims trek up as lingam melting reports fail to reduce enthusiasm | |
Jammu, July 1: With the improvement in weather, the two-month long annual pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine of Lord Shiva, also known as Amarnath Cave, officially took off this morning.
Meanwhile the reports melting of “lingam”, though had disturbing effect, but it did not generally effect the enthusiasm of devotees. Nearly 13,000 pilgrims headed for the cave shrine since this morning, said reports reaching here.
Amid the chanting of vedic hymns, pilgrims made their way to the Himalayan cave shrine in Anantnag district of Kashmir but their enthusiasm was not affected by the news that the naturally formed ice lingam representing Lord Shiva had melted. The Shivlingam has melted owing to the rise in temperatures. It is a normal phenomenon; weather affects its shape and size," SASB Chief Executive Officer Arun Kumar said, who accompanied Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to the cave, said. The other ice 'lingams', representing Parvati and Ganesh were however, still intact, he said.
The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), which conducts the annual pilgrimage, has decided not to allow any pilgrim movement Sunday from the winter capital Jammu to avoid the rush at the base camps. Nearly 4,000 pilgrims have been camping at Jammu since Saturday.
Earlier, the State Governor Lt Gen SK Sinha, who is also chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, performed the Pratham Pooja in the holy cave shrine to formally throw the yatra open.
Union Home Minister, Mr Shivraj Patil also paid obeisance at the cave shrine this morning.
Immediately after performing the pooja, the Governor flew in to Chrar-e-Sharief and paid obeisance in the revered Ziarat of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani. He prayed for peace and tranquility in the State at the Amarnath Shrine and Ziarat of Sheikh-ul-Alam. For the past five years, the Governor has been paying obeisance at the Shrine at Chrar-e-Sharief after performing pooja at the Amarnath cave shrine. The management of the ziarat performed Dastarbandi on the Governor
At the Holy Cave, the Governor, who is also the Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, the Governor sat for a while with world-renowned spiritual guru, Murari Bapu, whose week-long Katha concluded today.
In a message to the pilgrims, the Governor wished them a successful yatra and said that necessary arrangements have been made for their stay at various camps. He said that the shrine board in conjunction with other agencies of the government has taken elaborate measures for smooth conduct of the yatra. He also lauded the hospitality and warmth of the people of Kashmir for extending all facilities to the pilgrims.
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