Holy mace of Lord Shiva leaves for Pahalgam

Srinagar, Aug 11 (UNI) The holy mace of Lord Shiva ''Charri Mubarak'' today left for base camp Pahalgam under unprecedented security arrangements.

Led by Mahant Dipender Giri, 'puja' was held in the historic Dashnami Akhara, which houses the holy mace, before leaving for temple township of Mattan in Anantnag district of South Kashmir.

Accompanied by a large number of sadhus and other devotees, Mahant Giri, a puja will be held in Mattan temple before taking the 'Chhari' to Pahalgam.

The charri will leave Pahalgam for the holy cave, where the concluding puja will be held on August 16, the Rakshabandan day.

Despite curfew in Jammu and protests on Amarnath land row, a record number of more than five lakh pilgrims, from all over the country visited the shrine this year, since the commencement of the yatra from June 18.

About 55 pilgrims also died due to heart failure and other accidents during the same period.

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