Bhaderwah/Jammu: The annual Shadu yatra, the final pilgrimage in the trilogy of ancient Nag yatras, began in Bhaderwah here on Friday, with hundreds of devotees joining the holy mace procession, officials said.
The Charri Mubarak, also known as the Son-bain Yatra, began at the ancient Brokodu temple in Bhaderwah town’s Vasak Dera locality and headed toward the Ashapati Glacier, located at around 11,300 feet above sea level.
The holy mace will halt for the night at Bumlakhi village, situated in the foothills of the Ashapati Glacier, the officials said. “The yatra resumed on Friday morning towards its destination at Sonbain. After performing religious rituals on the third day, the holy mace will return to Bhaderwah,” they said.
Mohit Kotwal, the Chaila (priest) of the ancient pilgrimage, said the Shadu Yatra was a centuries-old tradition that celebrated the valley’s ancient Nag culture and the practice of serpent worship.
The pilgrimage also holds religious significance for devotees who cannot visit Gaya or are unsure of the exact date of their ancestors’ deaths, as they perform Pind Daan, a ritual offering for departed souls, during the Ashapati Yatra, Kotwal said.
Historically known as Nagon Ki Bhoomi (land of snakes), Bhaderwah is home to a trilogy of revered ancient pilgrimages associated with Nag worship.
According to local legends, these pilgrimages trace the route Lord Vasuki Nag, the valley’s presiding deity, took while seeking refuge from Garuda.
