The 36-day long Amarnath Yatra officially began today, with the first batch of Yatris setting out from the Baltal base camp for the holy cave shrine in the morning. The Yatra coincides with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.
According to reports, pilgrims of the first batch also left from Pahalgam. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, flagged off the first batch of Yatris at Jammu on Wednesday.
Another batch of Yatris left Jammu for the Valley today. Over 5000 pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas on Canal Road in two escorted convoys. Of these, 1993 Yatris are going to Baltal base camp while 3,253 are going to Pahalgam base camp, officials said.
Reports added that the pilgrims left from the camps in Baltal and Nunwan towards the 3880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas. The region houses a naturally formed ice-lingam.
Bum Bum Bole
Rich with adventure, the journey starts with chants of ‘bum bum bole’ Devotees have options to decide their path. The brisk Baltal trail or the time-honoured Pahalgam. The latter covers Chandanwati, Sheshnag, and Panchtarni, which is 46 kilometers over four days of trekking.
Interestingly, should the devotees choose the Baltal route, they can complete the 14-kilometer trek and return to the base camp the same day after receiving Darshan.
Locals from civil society, trade, and other communities assemble with garlands at the Navyug Tunnel in Qazigund to receive the devotees.
Popular for ice stalagmite, the shrine grows and recedes in rhythm with the phases of the moon. Devotees believe it is a manifestation of Lord Shiva’s mythical powers.
Strong security
Given the challenging terrain and the demanding nature of the pilgrimage ahead, security concerns are understandable.
Following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 civilians were targeted by Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists, this year’s Yatra is being held under unprecedented security cover.
To bolster the existing setup—which includes the Army, security forces, and the Jammu and Kashmir Police—an additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed.
The CRPF deployed K-9 (dog) squads alongside its personnel along the vital Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, a significant route used by pilgrims. It strengthened highway patrols, with a special focus on sensitive stretches such as the Udhampur sector, claimed reports.
Yatris have been strictly advised to travel from Jammu to the Valley only in escorted convoys. Understandably. officials have asked them not to proceed alone towards the base camps.
Last month, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat chaired a meeting with the police, CRPF, ITBP, traffic police and security and intelligence agencies at Srinagar’s Police Control Room to assess the security arrangements for the Yatra.
No helicopter services are available for the Yatris this year owing to security concerns.
Even the rules are stringent this time around. Anil Sharma, Circle Head, PNB Circle Jammu said that no pregnant women, people below 13 years and above 70 years would be allowed, even if they had a medical certificate. Those with high blood sugar have been advised to avoid the Yatra.
Unmistakable bonhomie
Meanwhile, what comes across in this Yatra is the spirit of service. It is evident in the bonhomie between the locals and the pilgrims. Locals provide ponies, palkis, and offer to carry infirm pilgrims on their backs to help them reach the shrine. The human warmth to the arduous journey is unmistakable. Additionally, there are 17 medical camps along the yatra route
The Yatra concludes on August 9. Compared to last year’s 52-day yatra, which witnessed participation of around five lakh pilgrims, this year’s yatra is shorter in duration, though it reportedly has a high participation rate. In this regard, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah admitted that the region’s tourism industry had been “hit quite badly”. He said his government’s focus was to ensure a peaceful Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage.
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