Srinagar, August 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The 57-day Shri Amarnath Yatra 2026 concluded officially on Friday with the arrival of ‘Chhari Mubarak’, the holy mace of Lord Shiva, at the sacred cave shrine and the performance of the final traditional puja on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
Mahant Deependra Giri, custodian of the holy mace, led the morning prayers and Vedic chanting inside the cave shrine, located at an altitude of 3,880 metres in the Kashmir Himalayas.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who heads the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), performed the ‘Samapan Puja’ to formally mark the conclusion of the pilgrimage. He also thanked security forces, local residents and volunteers for their contribution to the yatra.
According to SASB estimates, more than 4.80 lakh devotees undertook the pilgrimage this year through the traditional Pahalgam route in south Kashmir and the shorter Baltal route.
The pilgrimage concluded peacefully without any terror-related incident. Security arrangements were described as unprecedented, with even helicopter services not being permitted during this year’s yatra.
However, 42 pilgrims died of natural causes during the pilgrimage, primarily due to high-altitude sickness and cardiac failure.
The formal pilgrimage schedule will be followed by the return journey and the traditional immersion (Visarjan) of the holy mace in the Lidder River at Pahalgam on August 30.
The pilgrimage had faced disruptions earlier this month after heavy rain, cloudbursts and landslides damaged sections of the tracks from August 9. Authorities subsequently suspended the movement of pilgrims from both base camps while repair and maintenance work was undertaken.
The Shri Amarnath cave shrine, located in Anantnag district of south Kashmir, houses an ice stalagmite formation that changes in size with the phases of the moon. Devotees traditionally regard the naturally formed ice structure as a manifestation symbolising the powers of Lord Shiva.
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