Amarnath Yatra 2017: Prayers held at Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam to mark commencement of pilgrimage

Srinagar: Special prayers were held near the Pahalgam base camp of the annual Amarnath yatra on Sunday, marking the commencement of the pilgrimage. Amid chanting of vedic hymns, ceremonies of Bhoomi-Pujan, Navgrah-Pujan, Chhari-Pujan and Dhawajarohan were performed at Pahalgam on the occasion of ‘Vyas-Purnima’ that marks the commencement of the annual pilgrimage of Swami Amarnath Ji traditionally, a statement by Mahant Deependra Giri, custodian of the holy mace, said in Srinagar. [caption id=“attachment_3794543” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Pilgrims cross mountain trails during their religious journey to the Amarnath cave on the Baltal route. PTI[/caption] He said these were important rituals prior to the main course of the annual pilgrimage. A sizable number of seers and pilgrims participated in the rituals as the sound of conch shells reverberated the atmosphere. Giri said people of the state, irrespective of their caste, creed or religion, have been cooperating, assisting and encouraging the pilgrims from across the country and even abroad for the annual pilgrimage. Prayers were also offered at the historic Martand Temple at Mattan in Anantnag. The custodian of the holy mace also thanked the state administration for making arrangements for the occasion. Meanwhile, on the 11th day of the yatra on Sunday, 8,167 yatris paid obeisance at the holy cave. Cumulatively since the beginning of the pilgrimage on 28 June, 1,3,4771 yatris have had the ‘darshan’ at the shrine. The cave shrine is located at a distance of 46 kilometres from Pahalgam and 14 kilometres from Baltal. The pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on Shravan Purnima on 7 August.