![amarnath yatra Amarnath Yatra concludes peacefully](http://www.theindiapost.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/amarnath-yatra.jpg)
7 Aug : The two-month old Amarnath pilgrimage concluded on Wednesday with a group of devotees carrying the mace of Lord Shiva to the 3,880 metre high cave shrine in South Kashmir.
The mace is carried every year from its abode ‘Dashnami Akhara’ in Srinagar to the Amarnath shrine during the annual pilgrimage for special prayers.
The holy mace popularly known as ‘Chhari Mubarak’, carried by its custodian Mahant Deepinder Giri, reached the shrine Wednesday morning around 8.45 am and was offered prayers, official sources said.
The event coincides with the festival of ‘Rakshabandhan’ being celebrated in many parts of the country on Wednesday.J-K Governor and chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) N N Vohra attended the concluding prayers at the shrine.
After the prayers, the ‘chhari mubarak’ started its return journey and is expected to reach Pahalgam on 7th August where special prayers would be offered before it is taken back to ‘Dashnami Akhara’, the sources said.
Since the beginning of the yatra on 15th June, nearly four lakh pilgrims from across the country have made a journey to the cave, which houses the naturally-formed ice-shivlingam.
Originally slated to start in the first week of June, the yatra was delayed by ten days this year owing to fresh snowfall along the twin routes – shortest 16-km Baltal and 45-km traditional Pahalgam.
While the first batch of pilgrims was allowed towards the holy cave from Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district on 16th June – the yatra started from the traditional Pahalgam route on 26th June.
Last year, a record 5.50 lakh pilgrims undertook the arduous journey to the cave despite unrest in the state triggered by Amarnath land row.
Incidentally, the number of pilgrims was highest last year in the 160-year-long history of the cave after it was discovered by a Muslim shepherd in the 19th century.