Kashmiri Pandits refused to back down in the face of unrest to perform the annual Harmukh Gangbal Yatra which took them to the holy peak of Harmukh mountain peak in Kashmir from September 7th to 11th 2016.
Vinod Pandit who is the general Secretary of the Harmukh Gangbal Trust and is also the Chairman of All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) led the group of Kashmiri Pandits who gathered from different parts of India to perform the pilgrimage. Gangbal is like Haridwar for the Kashmiri Pandit community.
Kashmiri Pandits also performed the religious rituals at the shrine on the auspicious Ganga Ashtami and the Mahashradha (prayer for the dead) during this time. They were also provided security by the Indian Army.
You can watch the Kashmiri Pandits doing puja/worship by clicking below:
Exclusive video of annual #Gangbal Yatra in Kashmir performed by #Kashmiri Pandits @VinodAPMCC @kpnewschannel pic.twitter.com/GWfnbXB3QC
— Rajesh Raina (@rainarajesh) September 12, 2016
Gangbal yatra is a pilgrimage to the Harmukh-Gangbal shrine which is situated at the altitude of 12000 feet.
Inspite of high security concerns, the pligrims visited the Holy Harmukh (Kailash of Kashmir) as part of APMCC Harmukh Gangbal Yatra
— Vinod Pandit APMCC (@VinodAPMCC) September 12, 2016
The yatra was revived after a gap of nearly 100 years in the year 2009 and Vinod Pandit was the man who spearheded the move to begin the Gangbal yatra at that time.
It is Hindu belief that this region is the place where Lord Shiva resides.
The route is picturesque with the lakes, herbs, flowers carpeting the earth, and is breathtakingly beautiful but the path is arduous for a person with average or below average fitness.
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Pic Credit: Vinod Pandit
