After a slight pause in the Amarnath Yatra on Wednesday, July 30, because of bad weather, the third batch of the Budha Amarnath Yatra also arrived in Poonch on Thursday, July 31. The devotees who reached the base for Amarnath Yatra received a grand welcome from the administration and locals.
A devotee named Pandit Gopal Krishan, who is also a member of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, said, “The third batch of the Yatra has arrived. People came in big numbers. Most of them are from Rajasthan. We welcomed the pilgrim as per the tradition in Poonch. The devotees were happy with the welcome and promised us that next year the Yatra will be held on an even larger scale.”
The pilgrim and the devotees lauded the arrangements and thanked the administration and people of Poonch. One of the devotees, Usha Tripathi, said that the best part of the Amarnath Yatra is the unity among the Hindus.
While expressing her joy to the media, she said, “I am from Rajasthan and coming here for the first time. The arrangements are great. It is said that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad began this Yatra in 2005. Slowly, people started coming from small towns and big cities to receive `darshan` of Baba Chattani ji. The best part of unity among the Hindus,” stated an ANI report.
Furthermore, she also thanked the people of Poonch and the Indian Army for the arrangements amid the challenging weather.
The devotee further asserted that, “I would like to thank the people of Poonch for welcoming us and for the arrangements even in this bad weather. I would like to come every year and bring thousands of people with me. I don`t have words to thank the army. From Jammu, even in heavy rainfall, our soldiers were still deployed for our security. I salute the Indian soldiers,” according to ANI.
Another devotee, Hanuman Chaudhary, while highlighting his excitement, emphasised that “Yatra`s experience is exciting. There are very good arrangements. We are enjoying ourselves. We want more people to come with us next time,” the report by ANI added.
The devotees who reached Poonch on Thursday, July 31, have hailed the arrangements and urged people to come in large numbers.
Swami Budha Amarnath Temple is situated between the main belt of the Pir Panchal Range at Rajpura Mandi, which is 25 km to the northeast of Poonch city.
The sacred Lord Shiva’s temple is located on the confluence of two gushing streams, namely Nallah Gagri and Pulsta Nadi. The temple has four doors with multiple entry points, and with a natural Shivlinga inside the Mandir, the place in the valley feels surreal.
(With inputs from ANI)