Amarnath Yatra: Online aarti, live darshan for devotees from today

The shrine board has put in place a virtual and televised mechanism for live darshan of aarti from the holy cave.

All religious rituals in the Amarnath cave shrine will be performed virtually for devotees starting from Monday in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided that the annual Amarnath Yatra will be kept symbolic, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on June 21.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided that the annual Amarnath Yatra will be kept symbolic, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on June 21.(PTI)

"Shri Amarnathji Yatra cancelled in wake of Covid-19 Pandemic. Decision after threadbare discussion with Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board members. Yatra to be symbolic only. However, all the traditional religious rituals shall be performed at the Holy Cave Shrine as per past practice," Sinha's office tweeted.

Manoj Sinha also directed officials to make arrangements so that devotees can virtually attend the morning and evening ‘aartis’ at the cave shrine. This will allow them to pay obeisance while avoiding travel and exposure to the infection, Sinha said. He also stressed the need to follow Covid-19 protocol on the significant and pious days like pratham pooja and samapan pooja. He further said that saints visiting the shrine cave to perform aarti should follow Covid-19 appropriate behavior.