Overview

• A group of Sadhus led by Mahant Deependra Giri ceremoniously carried the saffron-robed Chhari Mubarak from its Srinagar abode to the Pahalgam base camp on Ashad Purnima.
• The mace was escorted to Gauri Shankar Temple, where special prayers included chanting Vedic hymns, bhoomi-pujan, navgrah-pujan, chhari-pujan and a flag-raising ceremony (dhawajarohan).
• These rituals marked the formal start of the annual Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage and preparations for the journey to the sacred cave shrine.
• Participation of numerous devotees reinforced the region’s composite cultural ethos during the inauguration ceremonies.
• The Chhari Mubarak is now en route along its traditional calendar route toward the Amarnath cave, with pilgrims joining upcoming legs of the yatra.