<p>The annual Amarnath yatra has been cancelled for a second consecutive year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. </p>.<p>"It's important to save people's lives. So, it is not advisable to hold this year's pilgrimage in the larger public interest," J&K Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, who is also chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), said after holding a meeting.</p>.<p>He said the SASB is aware of and respects the sentiments of millions of devotees, and "to keep the sentiments alive, the Board shall continue the live telecast of morning and evening Aarti from the Holy Cave shrine."</p>.<p>The decision has finally put an end to speculation surrounding the annual pilgrimage. The 56-day-long annual pilgrimage was scheduled to begin from June 28 from the traditional Pahalgam-Chandanwari track and the shorter Sonamarag-Baltal route.</p>.<p>However, the SASB has decided to hold symbolic yatra with all the traditional religious rituals to be performed at the Cave Shrine as per the past practice, an official spokesperson said.</p>.<p>He said a threadbare discussion was held with the members of the Board on the present Covid-19 situation before arriving on the decision.</p>.<p>Sinha subsequently also held detailed deliberations with Chief Secretary, DGP and other senior officers and directed that devotees should be enabled to attend to morning and evening Aarti in online mode.</p>.<p>He said it would help them to pay their obeisance while also avoiding and travel and exposure. </p>.<p>The Lt Governor also stressed upon the need to follow Covid protocol on the significant and pious days like Pratham Pooja, Samapan Pooja. </p>.<p>The SASB CEO, Nitishwar Kumar said, the Board has made the arrangements for the mace of Lord Shiva- Chhari Mubarak' to be taken to the holy cave on August 22 when the yatra is to conclude coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan. </p>.<p>The CEO said that both morning telecast of Aarti at 6 am and evening Aarti at 5 pm, each for 30 minutes, is to be live-streamed on Board official website and the app specifically dedicated for the devotees.</p>.<p>Every year, lakhs of pilgrims either take the traditional and longer 45km-long Pahalgam route or the shorter 14km-long Baltal route to Amarnath, one of Hinduism’s holiest shrines. The pilgrimage usually spans nearly a month-and-a-half and takes place during July and August.</p>.<p>Last year, the yatra was also cancelled due to Covid while in 2019 it was cut short following intelligence inputs of terror threats ahead of the Centre scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2018, the pilgrimage was held for 60 days.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH latest videos:</strong></p>
<p>The annual Amarnath yatra has been cancelled for a second consecutive year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. </p>.<p>"It's important to save people's lives. So, it is not advisable to hold this year's pilgrimage in the larger public interest," J&K Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, who is also chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), said after holding a meeting.</p>.<p>He said the SASB is aware of and respects the sentiments of millions of devotees, and "to keep the sentiments alive, the Board shall continue the live telecast of morning and evening Aarti from the Holy Cave shrine."</p>.<p>The decision has finally put an end to speculation surrounding the annual pilgrimage. The 56-day-long annual pilgrimage was scheduled to begin from June 28 from the traditional Pahalgam-Chandanwari track and the shorter Sonamarag-Baltal route.</p>.<p>However, the SASB has decided to hold symbolic yatra with all the traditional religious rituals to be performed at the Cave Shrine as per the past practice, an official spokesperson said.</p>.<p>He said a threadbare discussion was held with the members of the Board on the present Covid-19 situation before arriving on the decision.</p>.<p>Sinha subsequently also held detailed deliberations with Chief Secretary, DGP and other senior officers and directed that devotees should be enabled to attend to morning and evening Aarti in online mode.</p>.<p>He said it would help them to pay their obeisance while also avoiding and travel and exposure. </p>.<p>The Lt Governor also stressed upon the need to follow Covid protocol on the significant and pious days like Pratham Pooja, Samapan Pooja. </p>.<p>The SASB CEO, Nitishwar Kumar said, the Board has made the arrangements for the mace of Lord Shiva- Chhari Mubarak' to be taken to the holy cave on August 22 when the yatra is to conclude coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan. </p>.<p>The CEO said that both morning telecast of Aarti at 6 am and evening Aarti at 5 pm, each for 30 minutes, is to be live-streamed on Board official website and the app specifically dedicated for the devotees.</p>.<p>Every year, lakhs of pilgrims either take the traditional and longer 45km-long Pahalgam route or the shorter 14km-long Baltal route to Amarnath, one of Hinduism’s holiest shrines. The pilgrimage usually spans nearly a month-and-a-half and takes place during July and August.</p>.<p>Last year, the yatra was also cancelled due to Covid while in 2019 it was cut short following intelligence inputs of terror threats ahead of the Centre scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2018, the pilgrimage was held for 60 days.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH latest videos:</strong></p>
