Srinagar: The traditional ritual of carrying `Charri Mubarak` (the holy mace of Lord Shiva) to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas began on Tuesday amid chanting of religious slogans and special prayers.
The journey of `Charri Mubarak` is the final ritual before the conclusion of annual Amarnath Yatra.
Accompanied with a group of over 300 sadhus and pilgrims, the Chhari is being carried by its custodian Mahant Deependra Giri. The journey will take a night halt at an altitude of 3,713 metres at Sheshnag.
Sheshnag, an emerald lake, remains covered with ice till June and is 12 kilometres from Chandanwari and the second stage of the yatra.
On its way the journey will take another night halt at Panchtarni - a spacious and picturesque camping ground with the cave only six kilometers away, officials said.
They said the mace would be taken to the cave shrine on August 2, marking the culmination of the annual yatra.
The yatra commenced on June 25 from the twin tracks - traditional 46-km Pahalgam-Chandanwari-cave route in Anantnag district and 16-km shorter Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
So far over 6.17 Lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the cave shrine housing the naturally-formed ice-shivlingam.
PTI
