Amarnath Yatra – Over 85,000 Pilgrims Complete Holy Cave Visit in Four Days
Amarnath Yatra – More than 85,000 devotees have completed the Amarnath Yatra since the annual pilgrimage began on July 3, with officials reporting that 28,818 pilgrims visited the holy cave shrine on Monday alone. The total number of pilgrims who have undertaken the journey in the first four days has reached 85,779.
Rain Does Not Slow Pilgrim Movement
Despite spells of heavy rain on Monday, pilgrims continued moving towards the cave shrine from both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes. The shrine, located at an altitude of around 3,880 metres, remained accessible as devotees proceeded under security supervision and weather-related advisories.
Officials said pilgrims who completed darshan at the cave shrine on Monday began returning to the Baltal base camp later in the evening. The return movement was carried out with support from security personnel and other agencies deployed along the route.
Baltal Route Preferred by Some Devotees
A number of pilgrims travelling through the Pahalgam route are choosing to return through Baltal after completing darshan. The journey back to the Nunwan base camp near Pahalgam can take several days, while many pilgrims are able to reach Baltal on the same day after visiting the shrine.
The growing number of visitors has led to busy conditions at the twin base camps, halting points and other locations connected with the pilgrimage. Pilgrims from different parts of the country are arriving daily at Baltal and Nunwan, increasing activity across the Yatra route.
Facilities Expanded Along Both Tracks
Authorities have arranged accommodation, food services and medical support at base camps and designated halting stations. Several socio-religious organisations have set up langars to provide free meals to pilgrims during the journey.
Temporary tent accommodation has also been arranged from Baltal and Nunwan-Pahalgam up to the holy cave area. These facilities are intended to support pilgrims travelling through difficult terrain and changing weather conditions.
Weather updates are being announced through public address systems at the base camps. Officials are advising pilgrims to remain aware of forecasts and follow instructions issued by the administration before beginning the trek.
Four-Layer Security Cover in Place
Security arrangements have been strengthened across the pilgrimage corridor, from the Pahalgam and Baltal base camps to the cave shrine. A four-layer security system has been deployed to manage the movement of pilgrims and maintain safety along the routes.
The Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police are positioned in higher areas and along the two main tracks. The Central Reserve Police Force is handling security at the base camps in coordination with Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel.
Authorities have urged devotees to travel according to the date mentioned on their registration documents. They said pilgrims without valid registration will not be permitted to proceed to the twin base camps due to the large number of visitors arriving for the pilgrimage.
Jammu Sees Continued Arrival of Pilgrims
Jammu is also witnessing a steady inflow of devotees travelling from different states by road, rail and other modes of transport. Long queues were seen on Tuesday morning outside registration and token counters at Tawi Riverfront, Ram Mandir, Purani Mandi and Geeta Bhawan.
Officials said measures have been put in place to regulate the movement of pilgrims and prevent unregistered visitors from leaving for the shrine. The administration has asked devotees to complete the required registration process before making travel plans for the Amarnath Yatra.