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| Governor offers Puja at cave, visits Chrar-e-Sharief | | | Early Times Reporter
Amarnath cave shrine | June 18
Amid chanting of religious hymns and in the serene ambience of the Holy Cave Shrine at 3888 meters, Governor Lt. General (Retd) S K Sinha today led the devotees to offer prayers, marking commencement of this year's annual Amarnath yatra.
As the Puja progressed, devotees queuing since wee hours kept chanting ‘Bum Bum Bole’. The atmosphere reverberated with ‘Har Har Mahadev’, as the pilgrims stepped forward on the 12 kilometer track from Baltal.
In the sanctum sanctorum, the fully formed magnificent Shivlingam presented a unique sight quenching the spiritual thirst of devotees. The Shrine Board has devised a mechanism to enable darshan from the second grill raised before the Bhavan for longevity of the Holy lingam.
General Sinha prayed for peace and tranquility of the country and the State and hoped that Jammu and Kashmir will continue to traverse on the path of progress and prosperity. In an informal chat with the media, the Governor, who is also the Chairman of SASB, urged the devotees to perform the yatra in a regulated manner. "This is for the safety of pilgrims as in the case of bad weather the Board may not be in a position to take full care of devotees", he added.
The Governor interacted with the pilgrims, many of whom touched his feet in traditional Hindu ethos as a mark of respect to elders.
Later, General Sinha visited Baltal and discussed yatra arrangements with officers connected with the conduct of the pilgrimage and local workers engaged in providing various services.
Shahjehan, a local leader and contractor, told him that they keep waiting for months for the yatra as this is the main source of their sustenance. Apart from economic benefits, he said that the people in the periphery of Baltal are emotionally attached with this yatra as their forefathers have been associated with it from time immemorial, initially from Pahalgam route and later from Baltal route.
Principal Secretary to Governor and Chief Executive Officer, SASB, Dr Arun Kumar also accompanied the Governor and offered the Puja.
After darshan at the Cave Shrine, the Governor flew in to Chrar and paid obeisance at the Shrine of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani. Ever since taking over as the Governor, he has been visiting this Holy Shrine. He has been doing so every time he has been inaugurating the Amarnath Yatra. This was the sixth occasion of doing so.
Jawahra President, Municipal Committee greeted the Governor and thanked him for arranging some facilities for the devotees like carpeted resting shed for pilgrims through the Army some years back. She wanted more toilet facilities for pilgrims. General Sinha responded by assuring that he will request the State Government to do so. He mentioned that over 2000 pre-fabricated toilets had been constructed for Amarnath yatra adding that it may not be advisable for the Shrine Board in the present context to do anything in this matter.
A Mujawir of the Shrine urged the Governor for getting work on the mosque expedited in the Shrine periphery. General Sinha assured he would request the Government to do so before he demits office. Deputy Commissioner, Budgam Farooq Renzu mentioned that the Government has sanctioned Rs 32 crore four lane road leading to the Shrine. The Governor was happy to learn about this.
General Sinha assured that this also will be taken up with the State Government before he demits office next week. |
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