Amarnath Yatra cancelled for second consecutive year due to COVID-19 pandemic

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir on Monday (June 21) announced that Amarnath Yatra for this year cancelled due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The government, however, announced that all the traditional religious rituals shall be performed at the Holy Cave Shrine as per past practice. 

A threadbare discussion was held with the esteemed members of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board including Swami Avdheshanand Ji, ShriDC Raina, Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Prof Anita Billawariya, Shri Sudarshan Kumar, Prof. Vishwamurti Shashtri, Pt. Bhajan Sopori, Dr. C.M. Seth and Mrs. Tripta Dhawan on the current COVID-19 situation before arriving on the decision. 

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also Chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, subsequently held a detailed deliberations with Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, DGP, Dilbag Singh, Principal Secretary Home Shaleen Kabra, and Principal Secretary to Lt Governor, Nitishwar Kumar, who is also the CEO of Shrine Board, and directed that devotees should be enabled to attend to morning and evening Aarti in online mode. He said it would help them to pay their obeisance while also avoiding and travel and exposure. 

The meeting was informed that Shrine Board has put in place virtual and televised mechanism for live Darshan of Aarti from the holy cave. 

"It's important to save people's lives. So, it is not advisable to hold and conduct this year's pilgrimage in the larger public interest. ShriAmarnathji Shrine Board is aware of and respect 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," Lt Governor said.

Lt Governor also stressed upon the need to follow COVID protocol on the significant and pious days like Pratham Pooja, SamapanPooja. He further stressed that saints visiting the Shrine cave to perform Aarti as per “Shastra” would follow COVID appropriate behavior. 

Amarnathji Shrine Board CEO, NitishwarKumar, said, the shrine board have 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. 

"Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has been assessing the Covid situation in the Union Territory and the country. Our focus is on containing the pandemic and strengthening health infrastructure," he observed.  

The CEO, Nitishwar Kumar 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 Shri Amarnath ji Shrine board official website and the app specifically dedicated for the devotees.