Umaisar Gull Ganie
Srinagar, Jul 31: With just nine days left for the conclusion of the 38-day-long Amarnath Yatra, the number of pilgrims who have paid obeisance at holy cave shrine, nestled in Himalayas, crossed the four lakh mark on Thursday— despite the shadow cast by the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.
Officials said that a total of 8,276 pilgrims paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine on Thursday, including 6,296 males, 1,082 females, 58 children, 55 sadhus, 3 sadhvis, 2 transgender individuals, and 780 security personnel.
They said the cumulative number of pilgrims who have completed the Yatra since its commencement on July 3 has reached 401,677.
Despite witnessing several cancellations and withdrawals following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, the Yatra has continued. In June, authorities said that this year’s pilgrimage numbers were “directly affected” by the attack.
Prior to the incident, more than 2.36 lakh pilgrims had registered, as per Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. “Before April 22, the registration figures were quite good. However, following the Pahalgam terror attack, there was a noticeable drop in registrations. The trend is now reversing, and we are actively reaching out to those who had registered earlier. The overall number is expected to go up,” Sinha had said.
Last year, more than 5.1 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine. With heightened security concerns this year, a multi-tier security arrangement was put in place, and the presence of security personnel was increased for the Yatra. Besides that, the government declared all routes to the Amarnath cave shrine a “no-flying zone,” banning all kinds of aviation platforms, including drones and balloons, for the duration of the Yatra.
Terming the number of Amarnath pilgrims crossing the 4 lakh mark as a “miracle,” Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said the record participation of devotees from across the country and the world in the annual Amarnath Yatra stands as a testament to India’s unity and its unwavering resolve to overcome challenges.
LG Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath ji Shrine Board (SASB), while sharing the information about number of pilgrims crossing 4 lakh mark wrote on his X handle: “Baba Amarnath makes the impossible, possible. With his blessings, the Holy Yatra today crossed the figure of 4 Lakh. I bow to Lord Shiva for this miracle and express my gratitude to everyone involved in making the holy pilgrimage a divine experience for devotees.”
“This godly expedition was incomparable not because it’s arduous and challenging but because it’s an inimitable journey into pure bliss. It’s a spiritual experience & gives an opportunity to devotees to know themselves & offers deep trust & fills their hearts with infinite gratitude,” wrote LG Sinha.
“I am truly thankful to the devotees, who have shown immense faith and strengthened our priceless spiritual heritage,” he said.
The cave shrine situated at 3888 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.
Devotees believe that the ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.
This year’s Yatra started on July 3 and will end on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festival.
