SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu and his family on Sunday visited the holy Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir.
Accompanied by senior officers of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), Murmu, who is the chairman of the Shrine Board, performed a special ‘pooja’ (prayers) at the cave shrine and wished for peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
This year’s 42-day-long yatra was scheduled to begin on June 23 but the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic cast its shadow over the pilgrimage which has now been curtailed from July 21 to August 3.
Speaking on the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor wished for an early end to coronavirus pandemic and hoped that the people would soon get relief from Covid-19.
He also wished that Jammu and Kashmir would march on the path of development and peace will prevail in the region.
He said the Shrine Board has decided to conduct the yatra via Baltal route only. “We have readied the Baltal route for the pilgrims who are expected to visit in limited numbers only due to this pandemic,” Murmu said.
He expressed happiness over the decision of the Shrine Board to broadcast a live telecast of Amarnath Aarti, twice a day, starting from today till August 3 and said it would benefit the pilgrims across the world.
“A large number of pilgrims may not be able to visit the shrine this year. The live telecast of Amarnath Aarti will benefit all such devotees,” he said.
