Hummingbird News Desk
KOLKATA, 21 JUNE: The annual Amarnath yatra has been cancelled for the second time in a row and will only be “symbolic” in wake of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in the country. In a couple of Tweets, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha on Monday said that it is important to save the lives of the people which is why the pilgrimage has been cancelled looking at the “public interest”.
“Shri Amarnathji Yatra cancelled in wake of Covid-19 Pandemic. Decision after threadbare discussion with Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board members. Yatra to be symbolic only. However, all the traditional religious rituals shall be performed at the Holy Cave Shrine as per past practice,” he tweeted.
The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board had said that the situation is being constantly monitored. The 56-day Amarnath Yatra was due to start simultaneously on both routes of Pahalgam and Baltal from 28 June and culminate on Raksha Bandhan, 22 August.
The Amarnath pilgrimage is a 56-day yatra to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva, located in the upper reaches of Himalayas
Following the annoucement of the L-G, Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board said that all traditional religious rituals will be performed at the Holy Cave Shrine as per past practice. The board also said that it will arrange online darshan for devotees worldwide.
The board also said that both morning telecast of Aarti at 6 am and evening Aarti at 5 pm, each for 30 minutes, is to be live-streamed on Shri Amarnath ji Shrine board official website and the app specifically dedicated for the devotees.
“The shrine board have made the arrangements for the mace of Lord Shiva- Chhari Mubarak’ to be taken to the holy cave on 22 August, when the yatra is to conclude coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan,” said Amarnathji Shrine Board CEO Nitishwar Kumar.
“Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has been assessing the COVID situation in the Union Territory and the country. Our focus is on containing the pandemic and strengthening health infrastructure,” he added.
The registration for the yatra, which started on 1 April, was put on hold from 22 April due to the raging second wave of COVID-19.
Last year also the yatra was cancelled as well due to the unprecedented rise in the COVID cases and rituals were broadcasted live from the shrine cave. In 2019, it was curtailed mid-way ahead of the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status granted under Article 370.