Ganderbal, Sep 18: Kashmiri Pandit devotees participating in the annual Harmukh-Gangbal Yatra on Friday described the pilgrimage as an age-old tradition and an important part of Kashmir’s cultural heritage, while expressing gratitude to the administration for facilitating the event.
The 18th Harmukh-Gangbal Yatra commenced from Naranag in the Kangan area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, with devotees heading towards the high-altitude Gangbal Lake.
Speaking to Rising Kashmir, a Kashmiri Pandit devotee said the pilgrimage has been associated with the community’s traditions for generations and is observed annually to preserve the practice.
He said devotees perform snan (ritual bathing), pooja and other religious rituals at Gangbal Lake before returning from the high-altitude site. According to him, the main religious observance is held on the eighth day of the Shukla Paksha.
The devotee said people from the Kashmiri Pandit community as well as members of other communities participate in the yatra and visit the sacred site.
He also thanked the civil administration, police and security agencies for making arrangements for the pilgrimage. He said the presence of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Naranag to flag off the yatra had added significance to the occasion for the devotees.
“Every year the administration comes forward to address our concerns and facilitate the yatra. We are thankful to them,” he said.
Referring to the historical significance of the pilgrimage, he said the Gangbal Yatra has a long cultural and religious history and is mentioned in traditional Kashmiri texts, including the Nilamata Purana and writings associated with Kalhana.
Another devotee said the annual pilgrimage had resumed in 2009 after remaining suspended for a period due to disturbances. He said devotees were particularly enthusiastic about undertaking the journey this year.
He credited the local administration, police, Army, CRPF and other agencies for working in coordination to facilitate the pilgrimage.
The devotees also appealed to people to participate in the yatra in the coming years, describing it as an occasion that promotes peace and communal harmony.
The Harmukh-Gangbal Yatra is held annually from Naranag to Gangbal Lake, located at the foothills of Mount Harmukh. The pilgrimage involves a demanding trek through the high-altitude terrain before devotees reach the lake for religious observances.
