Manimahesh pilgrimage starts from today

Our Correspondent

Bharmour, September 4

The famous Manimahesh Pilgrimage - 2015 in the Bharmour tribal region of Chamba district will commence tomorrow on the occasion of Sri Krishna Janamashtami and will culminate on September 21 on the occasion of Sri Radhashtami when the pilgrims and devotees of Lord Shiva will take a holy dip in the sacred icy cold waters of the Manimahesh lake, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chamba M Sudha Devi said here today.

The DC revealed that the state government had already constituted a trust to look after the affairs of the Manimahesh shrine and the accounts pertaining to the offerings made by the pilgrims during the fortnight yatra.

After taking stock of the arrangements for the facility of pilgrims during the Manimahesh pilgrimage, Sudha Devi stated that medical, rescue, water, electricity, toilets and transport facilities had been made available on the way to the holy shrine. She said arrangements had been made for special buses for transporting the pilgrims from various parts of the state.

The Manimahesh sacred centre is about 216 km from the nearest Pathankot railhead, via Chamba, the district headquarter town.

Tucked in the Himalayas, Bharmour town is a spiritual as well as commercial centre for the devotees and the pilgrims thronging Manimahesh. It is the last township en route Manimahesh shrine.

Manimahesh, the holy Kailash, is located at an altitude of 5656 metres. Down the foothills at an altitude of 4170 metres nestles the scintillating Manimahesh Lake.

Mount Kailash, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, falls in the Bharmour tribal valley of Chamba district.