All over the country, the month of Shravan is a time for many pilgrimages, particularly associated with Shiva. The best-known pilgrimages of these are perhaps those organised in Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) and Shri Amarnath in J&K. This is not to say that dozens of similar yatras are not on around this time elsewhere in other states. In the state of Madhya Pradesh, where the Mahakal Shiv Mandir is located in Ujjain, numerous Shiva Mandirs abound, including Omkareshwar and others.
Due to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, leading to Operation Sindoor, there is special focus this year on Shri Amarnath yatra, which begins on July 3. There is a heightened state of alertness, and all preparations have been made for receiving the pilgrims in Jammu, which serves as the first base camp for the yatra. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has repeatedly visited the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps to inspect all arrangements.
Over the past two decades, another yatra that has become increasingly popular all over the country is that of Budha Amarnath, located in the Mandi area of Poonch district. The Mandir is situated in a stunningly beautiful locale, which is geographically opposite to the world’s renowned tourist destination of Gulmarg in Kashmir. Gulmarg is located on one side (north) of the mighty Pir Panjal mountains, while Mandi (Poonch) is located on the other side (south) of these lofty mountains.
Cool Weather
The good news for yatris is that the Budha Amarnath yatra can be undertaken at any time of the year. Incidentally, the salubrious weather around the Budha Amarnath Mandir makes a trip to this area joyful and serene. The temperatures in this area during the month of July range between a minimum of 15 degrees celsius and a maximum of 25 or 26 degrees celsius. This mild, rather cool weather, if not cold, is the reason for this spot becoming more popular in the past two decades.
According to Rajesh Gupta, the president of Vishva Hindu Parishad (J&K), the official 10-day Shravan yatra for Budha Amarnath will commence on July 28 this year. A day before that, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will perform bhoomi pujan at the Abhinav theatre in Jammu. During the bhoomi pujab, Sinha will be accompanied by the national general secretary of VHP, Milan Pandey.
A few days ago, the national convenor of the Bajrang Dal, Neeraj Dhanoria, visited Jammu to take stock of the arrangements being made. Providing background on the Bajrang Dal’s association with the Budha Amarnath yatra, Dhanoria said they participated in it for the first time in 2005. At that time, the rising tide of terrorism had led to a situation where Hindus were being forced out of the Rajouri and Poonch districts. Pakistan-backed terrorists played havoc with the lives of ordinary citizens, and to challenge this, Bajrang Dal decided to take part in the yatra. This had helped instil confidence among the Hindu community, and their forced migration could be checked.
Yatra Arrangements
All arrangements for yatris intending to visit the Budha Amarnath pilgrimage are made in Bhagwati Nagar and other camps in J&K. The General Secretary of Baba Amarnath and Budha Amarnath, Niyas Sudershan Khajuria, and the regional convenor of Bajrang Dal, Kartik Sudan, are coordinating with the authorities. They expressed confidence that thousands of yatris will undertake the yatra to Budha Amarnath during the 10-day official trip. At present, a trickle of yatris has already started arriving there.
During the official Shri Amarnath yatra period, the pilgrimage is usually disrupted every year due to heavy rains and some other factors. The Budha Amarnath yatra comes as a blessing at that time, as many pilgrims make a beeline for this. This helps the authorities in managing the holding camps more efficiently and prevents overcrowding there. During the days of such disruption, pilgrims heading for the Shri Amarnath Yatra often go to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and other yatras in the Jammu region.
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