Amarnath Yatra: Over 2.73 Lakh Pilgrims Have Darshan in 16 Days
The annual Amarnath Yatra is progressing smoothly, with over 2.73 lakh devotees having visited the holy cave shrine since the pilgrimage began on July 3. On Saturday, a fresh batch of 6,365 pilgrims departed from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar in two security-escorted convoys toward Baltal and Pahalgam base camps.
Rituals like the Bhumi Pujan of the Chhari Mubarak, led by Mahant Swami Deependra Giri at Pahalgam’s Gauri Shankar temple, were held on July 10. The sacred mace will begin its final journey to the cave shrine on August 4, reaching on August 9 Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.
Following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, authorities have implemented stringent multi-layered security, deploying 180 additional CAPF companies. Pilgrims can take either the 46 km Pahalgam or 14 km Baltal route. Helicopter services remain suspended this year due to security concerns. The 3,888-metre-high cave houses the revered ice lingam of Lord Shiva.
