The 57-day annual Amarnath Yatra formally concluded on Friday with the arrival of the 'Chhari-Mubarak' -- the saffron-robed holy mace of Lord Shiva -- at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas for special prayers, officials said.The conclusion of the yatra, which began on July 3, coincided with the festival of Raksha Bandhan and came nearly three weeks after the pilgrimage was suspended for the year on August 9 due to damage to the track and adverse weather conditions.
The 'Chhari-Mubarak', carried by a group of sadhus led by its custodian Mahant Dipendra Giri, reached the holy cave in the early hours of Friday after the group trekked six kilometres from the Sheshnag halting station, officials said.
Special prayers were held at the cave shrine following the arrival of the holy mace. The shrine houses the naturally formed ice-shivlingam, considered the manifestation of Lord Shiva.
The group of sadhus and devotees had trekked 42 km from Pahalgam to reach the shrine, with night halts at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarani.
After the prayers at the cave shrine, the holy mace began its return journey. The 'pujan' and 'visarjan' (immersion) ceremonies will, however, be performed on the banks of the Lidder river in Pahalgam on Sunday before the holy mace returns to its abode at the Amareshwar Temple at Dashnami Akhara here, the officials said.
More than 4.80 lakh pilgrims undertook the Amarnath Yatra this year.