The two-month long Amarnath Yatra entered its final leg as a group of priests carried 'Charri Mubarak', the holy mace of Lord Shiva, to the cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.
Priests and pilgrims chanted hymns as they started their journey to take the saffron-robbed mace to the Amarnath shrine situated at a height of 13,000 feet.
'Charri Mubarak' is the last ritual before the annual Amarnath Yatra concludes.
"We will carry this holy mace of Lord Shiva from 'Dashnami Akhara' temple in Srinagar to the holy cave shrine," said Mahant Dedepenra Giri, head priest of the temple.
The mace would be offered prayers at different temples in the Kashmir valley before it reaches the cave shrine on August 29.
Amarnath Yatra had begun on July 2 this year. During the two-month long annual pilgrimage, lakhs of devout Hindus from across the country walk to the cave shrine to pay obeisance.
