As of Friday, the annual Amarnath Yatra has seen an impressive turnout, with over 3.65 lakh pilgrims participating since the journey commenced on 29 June.
The latest batch of 4,821 devotees departed for Kashmir, marking a significant day in this year’s pilgrimage season.
Officials reported that on Thursday alone, over 14,000 pilgrims successfully reached the sacred cave shrine, arriving from both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes.
This steady influx underscores the enduring spiritual significance of the Amarnath Yatra for Hindu devotees worldwide.
“Today, another group of 4,821 Yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu, traveling in two escorted convoys towards the Valley,” officials stated.
“At 3:13 AM, 1,731 pilgrims set off in a convoy of 54 vehicles heading for the Baltal base camp in North Kashmir. Another 3,090 Yatris departed at 4 AM in a convoy of 96 vehicles, bound for the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp in South Kashmir. Both groups are likely to arrive in the Valley by noon, from where they will proceed to the respective base camps,” the officials added.
The Amarnath cave shrine, perched at an altitude of 3,888 meters in the Kashmir Himalayas, features a renowned ice stalagmite structure.
This natural formation, believed to symbolize Lord Shiva’s mythical powers, undergoes a cyclical process of waxing and waning with the lunar phases, drawing countless devotees each year.
Pilgrims can approach the shrine via two primary routes.
The traditional Pahalgam route, stretching 48 kilometers, typically requires a four to five-day trek.
Conversely, the Baltal route, at 14 kilometers, allows pilgrims to complete the journey and return to the base camp within a single day.
This year’s Yatra is scheduled to conclude on 29 August, aligning with the Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals, after 52 days of fervent pilgrimage activity.
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