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Jammu, India - Even with the relentless downpour in the area, more than 6,900 dedicated Amarnath pilgrims began their journey from Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu towards the sacred cave shrine nestled in the south Kashmir Himalayas on Friday morning. Their departure was meticulously monitored shaped by the continuous effort to uphold the safety of the annual Yatra.
A major caravan consisting of 274 vehicles departed from Jammu base camp in the pre-dawn hours transporting 6929 registered pilgrims. Among the registered, 5349 were going towards the shorter northern Baltal route while 1580 pilgrims took the longer traditional Nunwan-Pahalgam route in south Kashmir. Each contingent moved out in a secure column under substantial protective details.
With each passing day, the total count of devotees who have successfully visited the ice stalagmite Shiva lingam since the Yatra commenced continues to soar. As of now the total count stands above 67,000. Just last week Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first group of pilgrims for a 52-day pilgrimage.
The safety of all participants taking part in the annual Amarnath Yatra continues to be of utmost concern. Implementation of the multi layered security grid comprising of the Jammu and Kashmir police, paramilitary forces, and the Indian Army has enabled safe passage along both the difficult mountain ways and the important highways leading to the shrine. Devotees are protected through stringent checks at base camps and continuous monitoring through most difficult paths.
The devotion of the pilgrims is truly remarkable in light of the sudden heavy rains and the risk of landslides. Even with such challenging conditions, their faith undeterred launches thousands to undertake one of the most revered and challenging religious journeys in India. The Yatra is expected to end on August 19, in conjunction with the Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals.
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