KL Report
SRINAGAR
The pilgrimage to the Cave shrine this year has been delayed by over a fortnight following the recommendations of the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Committee which had been set up to advise the Board regarding the duration and schedule of future Yatras.
“As there was heavy snow accumulation on the Chandanwari-Holy Cave track, particularly on Sheshnag-Panjtarni stretch in 2014 which had delayed the commencement of Yatra on the Pahalgam route, the decision was taken to start the annual pilgrimage only from 2nd July, 2014,” a government official release said following the 28th Board Meeting of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) which was held at Raj Bhavan Jammu under the chairmanship of N N. Vohra, Governor of Jammu & Kashmir.
Those present in the meeting included the Board Members, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, santoor maestro Pt. Bhajan Sopori, Prof. Ved Kumari Ghai and others.
Keeping in view the safety and security of the pilgrims, the Board decided that Yatra 2015 shall commence on July 2, 2015, an auspicious day of Purshotam Purnima as per the Hindu Calendar, and conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 29, August 2015.
On this basis the Yatra this year shall be of 59 days duration.
Considering the present carrying capacity of the tracks and other available infrastructure in the Yatra area, the Board decided that 7,500 Yatris, excluding Yatris who would travel by heli-copters to Panjtarni, would be allowed to register for Yatr-2015 on per day per route basis. On this basis there would be about 16000 pilgrims on the tracks every day. The Board further decided that the registration process should commence from March 1, 2015.
