6.35 lakh pilgrims participated in Amarnath yatra

Srinagar, Aug 13 (PTI) A record breaking 6.35 lakh
pilgrims took part in the 46-day Amarnath yatra in south
Kashmir Himalayas which came to an end on Saturday as the
'Charri Mubarak' (holy mace) of Lord Shiva reached the cave
shrine.
The 'Charri Mubarak' of Lord Shiva reached the shrine
from Panchtarni halting station this morning after a night
halt, officials said.
Led by Mahant Deependra Giri, custodian of holy mace,
hundreds of devotees and sadhus accompanied it, they said.
A special prayer was offered on the occasion of
'Shravan Purnima' to pay obeisance to ice-lingam of Lord Shiva
– coinciding with Raksha Bandhan – to mark the conclusion of
the annual yatra, which began on June 29.
Governor N N Vohra, who is also Chairman of Shri Amarnath
Shrine Board, and Chief Executive Officer of the board R K
Goyal also took part in the prayers at the cave shrine.
After the traditional prayers, the 'Charri Mubarak' was
taken to Panchtarni for a night halt.
The holy mace is scheduled to reach Chandanwari tomorrow
and Pahalgam on Monday on its return journey.
'Pujan' and 'Visarjan' ceremonies would be performed on
the banks of river Lidder in Pahalgam on Monday while the
Chhari would return to its abode at Dashnami Akhara in
Srinagar on the same day.
This year's yatra witnessed the highest number of
pilgrims – 6.35 lakh - paying obeisance at the 3880-metre
high cave shrine. The previous record for highest number of
pilgrims in one year was set in 2005 when 5.31 lakh yatris had
visited the shrine.
About 3.40 lakh pilgrims took shorter route to the cave
shrine through Baltal in Ganderbal district while 2.84 lakh
yatris visited via traditional Pahalgam-Chandanwari track in
Anantnag district, officials said.
More than 100 pilgrims and four Muslim porters died due
to natural causes – mostly due to cardiac arrests – during
this year's pilgrimage.