Thousands of pilgrims resumed their sacred journey to the Amarnath cave shrine in Kashmir on Friday after a day-long suspension due to inclement weather, as the annual pilgrimage continues under tight security arrangements following past terror attacks in the region. Over 2.52 lakh devotees have participated in the ongoing Yatra since its commencement on July 3, with the pilgrimage scheduled to conclude on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.
Pilgrims Continue Despite Weather Challenges
A fresh batch of 7,908 pilgrims departed from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar base early Friday in two escorted convoys for the Valley. The first convoy of 92 vehicles, carrying 2,879 pilgrims, left for the Baltal base camp at 3:30 a.m., while the second convoy of 169 vehicles with 5,029 pilgrims left for the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp at 4:25 a.m. This movement follows a temporary suspension of the Yatra on Thursday due to bad weather, reflecting the authorities’ efforts to ensure the safety of the pilgrims while maintaining the schedule of the annual spiritual event.
The Yatra, covering the sacred cave situated at an altitude of 3,888 metres in the Kashmir Himalayas, is undertaken by devotees through two routes: the traditional Pahalgam route and the shorter Baltal route. The Pahalgam route, spanning 46 kilometres, involves a four-day trek through Chandanwari, Sheshnag, and Panchtarni, while the Baltal route requires a 14-kilometre trek that allows pilgrims to return to the base camp on the same day after darshan.
Chhari Mubarak Rituals and Security Measures
On July 10, the Bhumi Pujan of the ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (Lord Shiva’s Holy Mace) was performed at Pahalgam. The ritual saw the Chhari Mubarak, led by Mahant Swami Deependra Giri, being taken from its seat at the Dashnami Akhara in Srinagar to Pahalgam, where it was placed in the Gauri Shankar temple for the ceremony before being returned to Srinagar. The Chhari Mubarak will commence its final journey to the cave shrine on August 4 and reach on August 9, marking the formal conclusion of the Yatra.
Extensive multi-tier security measures have been deployed to protect the pilgrims, particularly in the wake of the April 22 attack by Pakistan-backed terrorists in which 26 civilians were killed in Pahalgam. Authorities have deployed an additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to support the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police in safeguarding the Yatra. Notably, helicopter services are not available for pilgrims this year due to security considerations.
The Amarnath cave shrine is renowned for housing the naturally formed ice stalagmite, which waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon and is revered by devotees as a symbol of Lord Shiva’s mythical powers, drawing pilgrims from across the country who endure the challenging terrain to seek blessings during this spiritually significant annual journey.
