Srinagar:The traditional rituals marking the final phase of the annual Amarnath Yatra began in Srinagar on Wednesday with the sacred Chhari Mubarak, the holy mace of Swami Amarnath, being carried to the historic Shankaracharya Temple for special prayers.
The religious ceremony was held on the auspicious occasion of Haryali Amavasya (Shravan Amavasya) and was led by Mahant Deependra Giri Ji, custodian of the Chhari Mubarak, who performed prayers at the ancient hilltop temple along with a group of sadhus.
The approximately 90-minute ceremony at the temple atop Gopadri Hills was marked by the chanting of Vedic hymns and the blowing of conch shells, creating a deeply spiritual atmosphere.
According to the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board, special prayers were offered for peace, prosperity and the well-being of Jammu and Kashmir and the country.
The visit to the Shankaracharya Temple marks an important stage in the traditional sequence of rituals associated with the Chhari Mubarak, which will continue at several prominent shrines in Srinagar before the holy mace begins its final journey to the Amarnath cave.
The Chhari Mubarak will be taken to the Sharika Bhawani Temple at Hari Parbat on August 13 for further religious rituals.
It will subsequently be taken to the Amareshwar Temple at the Dashnami Akhara in Srinagar, where Chhari-Sthapana rituals are scheduled to be performed on August 15. This will be followed by Chhari-Pujan on August 17, coinciding with Nag Panchami.
The traditional journey of the holy mace from Srinagar to the Amarnath cave shrine is scheduled to begin on August 22.
During the journey, the Chhari Mubarak will make traditional night halts at Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni before reaching the holy cave.
The Chhari Mubarak is scheduled to reach the Amarnath cave shrine on August 28, coinciding with Shravan Purnima, for pujan and darshan.
Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Mahant Deependra Giri said historians trace the origins of the ancient Shankaracharya Temple to the period of King Sandiman, dating it to approximately 2629–2564 BC.
He said the temple was originally known as Jyeshteshwara or Jyoteshwara and later became known as the Shankaracharya Temple following the visit of Adi Guru Shankaracharya.
The carrying of the Chhari Mubarak to the historic temple forms part of the centuries-old traditional religious observances associated with the annual Amarnath pilgrimage.
The sacred mace will continue its ritual journey through Srinagar before setting out for the cave shrine later this month, marking the final and most traditional phase of the annual pilgrimage.
