Amarnath Yatra resumes after one-day break

Jammu, August 6: Amarnath Yatra resumed on Tuesday after a one-day break as another group of 1,873 yatris left Jammu for Baltal base camp in north Kashmir.

Officials of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), which manages the affairs of the yatra, said that about 500,000 devotees have had darshan at the holy cave shrine since the pilgrimage began on June 29 this year.

“Today, no yatri convoy will go to Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp in south Kashmir. Only an escorted convoy of 69 vehicles carrying 1,873 yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu at 3.25 am for Baltal base camp in north Kashmir. Today, no yatri will go to Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp. Now, only the 'Chhari Mubarak' (mace of Lord Shiva) will be taken to the cave shrine through the traditional Pahalgam route. The Chhari Mubarak will leave Pahalgam for the cave shrine on August 14,” the officials said.

Numerous security forces, including police and CAPFs, are deployed around the clock on the more than 350-meter-long route from Jammu to the two base camps to ensure the passage of the pilgrims.

In addition, there are sufficient security forces deployed in the transit camps, base camps and at the cave shrine to ensure the safety of the Yatris.

The locals are not far from ensuring that the yatris can complete the mountain trek with ease. They provide ponies and also work as porters for the pilgrims, often carrying the weak and infirm devotees on their backs to the cave shrine and back again.

The officials of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha have managed the affairs of the yatra with professional competence. All this together has ensured a safe, smooth and hassle-free pilgrimage to the cave shrine this year through some of the harshest and most dangerous mountainous regions of the Himalayas, the officials said.

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that waxes and wanes according to the phase of the moon. Devotees believe that this ice stalagmite structure symbolizes the mythical powers of the god Shiva.

The cave is located at an altitude of 3,888 meters above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas. Devotees approach the cave shrine either through the traditional Pahalgam route in South Kashmir or through the Baltal route in North Kashmir.

The distance between Pahalgam and the cave shrine is 48 km and the yatris take 4-5 days to reach the shrine. The distance between Baltal and the cave shrine is 14 km and the pilgrims take a day to have 'darshan' and return to the base camp.

Helicopter services are also available to pilgrims at both Baltal on the North Kashmir route and Chandanwari on the South Kashmir route.

This year's Yatra ends after 52 days on August 19, coinciding with the festivals of Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

— Apart from the title, this story has not been edited by the Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.