Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Amarnath Yatra Ends With Chhari-Mubarak Prayers Amid Weather Disruptions
The Amarnath pilgrimage ended when a special holy mace called Chhari-Mubarak reached the cave shrine.
Mahant Dipendra Giri led sadhus and devotees carrying it.
They prayed and performed traditional ceremonies inside the cave.
The pilgrimage began on July 3 but regular visits stopped on August 9 because rain and damaged paths made travel difficult.
Many people still visited before the suspension.
The ice shape inside the cave melted much faster than usual this year.
Some officials linked this to warmer weather and the large number of early visitors.
The holy mace will later be taken to Pahalgam for final ceremonies before returning to Srinagar.
The 57-day Amarnath Yatra formally concluded on Friday, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan, after Chhari-Mubarak reached the cave shrine for special prayers.
Mahant Dipendra Giri led sadhus and devotees carrying the holy mace after a trek from Panchtarni via Sheshnag; reports differ on the route’s total distance.
The general pilgrimage began on July 3 but was suspended on August 9 because of damaged tracks, persistent rainfall and adverse weather.
The cave shrine’s naturally formed ice-shivlingam reportedly melted rapidly, while devotees and Mahant Giri said the spiritual significance remained beyond the physical ice form.
Attendance figures differed between reports: PTI cited more than 4.80 lakh pilgrims, while another report cited about 4.14 lakh and compared it with 5.12 lakh in 2024.
- Who
- Sadhus and devotees led by Chhari-Mubarak custodian Mahant Dipendra Giri, along with pilgrims who undertook the yatra.
- What
- The annual Amarnath Yatra concluded with Chhari-Mubarak prayers and traditional rituals at the cave shrine.
- When
- The conclusion took place on Friday, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan; final pujan and visarjan ceremonies were scheduled for August 30.
- Where
- At the Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, followed by ceremonies beside the Lidder River in Pahalgam.
- Why
- To complete the traditional concluding prayers and ceremonies associated with the holy mace and the annual pilgrimage.
Environmental and logistical factors
Devotional interpretation
Meaning of the ice-shivlingam’s rapid melting
Environmental and logistical factors
The report linked the unusually rapid melting to warmer temperatures and the large number of early-season pilgrims, while weather and damaged tracks also disrupted travel.
Devotional interpretation
Mahant Dipendra Giri said the divine presence remained even after the ice form diminished, describing the change as a natural occurrence beyond human control.
- Yatra duration
- 57 days
- Yatra start
- July 3
- Suspension
- Regular pilgrimage was suspended on August 9 because of track damage and adverse weather.
- Shrine elevation
- Reports gave the cave’s elevation as 3,880 metres and 3,888 metres.
- Reported attendance
- PTI reported more than 4.80 lakh pilgrims; another report cited about 4.8 lakh by August 8 and later gave a 4.14-lakh figure.
- Holy mace
- Chhari-Mubarak is scheduled to undergo pujan and visarjan beside the Lidder River in Pahalgam before returning to Dashnami Akhara in Srinagar.
- Travel routes
- The traditional Pahalgam route includes halts at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni; the Baltal route was also used.
