Sunday, August 8, 2010

Amarnath Yatra


Amarnath - One of the holy trinity, Shiva is a living god. The most sacred and most ancient book of India, the Rig Veda evokes his presence in its hymns, Vedic Myths, rituals and even testify to his existance from the dawn of time. Legend has it that Shiva recounted to Parvati the secret of creation in a cave in Amarnath. Unknown to them, a pair of doves eavesdropped on this conversation and having learnt the secret, are reborn again and again, and have made the cave their eternal abode. The annual yatra to Holy Amarnath Cave, situated at 14000 ft. above sea level, is organised by the Jammu & Kashmir State Government during the month of July and August. The intending pilgrims are allowed to perform darshan from Ashard Purnimashi to Shravan Purnimashi which course spreads over a month or so.

Batch of 855 pilgrims leave for cave shrine Amarnath

STAFF WRITER 9:40 HRS IST

Jammu, Aug 9 (PTI) A batch of 855 pilgrims today left here for onward journey to the 3,888 metre high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas.

Comprising of 471 men, 217 women, 23 children and 144 sadhus, the batch left in a fleet of 28 vehicles from the base camp at Bhagwati Nagar here around 0800 hours this morning, officials said.

With today's batch, as many as 83,076 pilgrims from different parts of the country have left from here since the commencement of the yatra on June 30.

Over 4.30 lakh pilgrims have already paid obeisance at the shrine.