Punjab Newsline | Jammu
The annual Amarnath Yatra commenced on Friday and will continue until August 28, spanning 57 days. More than 400,000 devotees are expected to visit the holy Amarnath Cave, situated at an altitude of 3,888 metres above sea level, to offer prayers at the naturally formed ice Shivling.
A day before the pilgrimage officially began, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of 4,822 pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp in Jammu. The devotees were escorted to the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps in a convoy of 259 vehicles under strict security arrangements.
In view of continuous rainfall and unstable weather conditions in Kashmir, authorities have advised pilgrims to return immediately after completing their darshan. Extensive safety measures have been put in place along the routes, including oxygen booths every two kilometres.
On the Domel route, large digital screens have been installed at four locations to provide real-time weather updates, while 12 waterproof domes have been set up along the Baltal route to offer shelter during adverse weather.
The Amarnath Yatra is conducted through two routes. The traditional 48-kilometre route begins from Nunwan in Pahalgam, while the shorter 14-kilometre route starts from Baltal in Ganderbal district.
Heavy rainfall briefly disrupted movement on the Baltal route on Thursday, forcing authorities to suspend the pilgrimage temporarily. However, the second batch of 3,865 pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp at around 4 a.m. on Friday. Of these, 1,735 pilgrims travelled in 115 vehicles towards the Baltal Base Camp, while 2,130 devotees left in 86 vehicles for the traditional Pahalgam route.
