Nearly 70,000 pilgrims have undertaken the annual Amarnath Yatra in the first four days since it began on July 3, officials confirmed on Monday. Of these, 21,512 devotees had Darshan at the holy cave shrine on Sunday alone, marking a strong turnout for one of Hinduism’s most sacred pilgrimages.
Early Monday morning, another batch of 8,605 pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in two escorted convoys bound for the base camps in Kashmir Valley. According to officials, the first convoy comprising 3,486 pilgrims is en route to the Baltal base camp in north Kashmir, while the second convoy, carrying 5,119 Yatris, is heading toward the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam.
The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), which manages the pilgrimage, said thousands of pilgrims are also arriving directly at the Baltal and Nunwan base camps to register on the spot and join the Yatra. Officials confirmed that two pilgrims have died of natural causes since the Yatra began.
This year’s pilgrimage is taking place under tight security arrangements, especially in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 civilians were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists. In response, authorities have deployed an additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to reinforce the presence of the Army, CRPF, BSF, SSB, and local police.
The entire Yatra route, including all transit camps and pilgrim accommodations, has been placed under multi-tiered security cover. The pilgrimage starts at Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar and proceeds toward the two base camps, eventually leading up to the holy cave shrine located at 3,888 meters in the Himalayas.
Amid the tense security environment, local residents in Kashmir have come out in full support of the Yatra, continuing a long-standing tradition of hospitality. As the first batch of pilgrims entered the Valley through Qazigund, they were warmly greeted by Kashmiris holding garlands and placards—a symbolic response to the recent acts of terror. On Sunday, locals offered cold drinks and drinking water to pilgrims returning from the Baltal camp. Many Yatris expressed heartfelt gratitude for the love and support shown by the local population.
The 2025 Amarnath Yatra will continue for 38 days, concluding on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan. Pilgrims undertake the journey via two traditional routes: the 46-kilometre trek from Pahalgam, passing through Chandanwari, Sheshnag, and Panchtarni, and the shorter 14-kilometre Baltal route, which allows for a same-day return after Darshan.
This year, helicopter services have been suspended due to security reasons, making the Yatra a wholly ground-based journey.
At the heart of the Yatra lies the sacred Amarnath cave shrine, which houses a naturally forming ice stalagmite, believed by devotees to represent Lord Shiva. The structure is said to wax and wane with the lunar cycle and symbolizes divine presence.
(With agencies inputs)
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