SRINAGAR: The Chhari Mubarak, the sacred mace of Lord Shiva, left the Dashnami Akhara Building in Srinagar on Saturday for Pahalgam, marking the start of its traditional annual journey to the Holy Cave of Shri Amarnath.
Custodian Mahant Deependra Giri said the sacred mace would reach Pahalgam on Saturday after prayers at traditional stopovers.
According to the scheduled programme, the Chhari Mubarak will proceed to Chandanwari on August 24 and Sheshnag on August 25. It will remain at Panchtarni on August 26 and 27.
On August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan, the Chhari Mubarak will be taken to the Holy Cave, where it will be installed amid traditional prayers and Vedic chanting.
The rituals are associated with the traditional belief that Lord Shiva narrated the tale of immortality to Goddess Parvati at the Holy Cave.
After the rituals at the cave, the sacred mace will return to Panchtarni before proceeding through Sheshnag and Chandanwari to Pahalgam on August 29.
The annual pilgrimage will conclude on August 30 with prayers followed by the traditional Visarjan ceremony.
