Umaisar Gull Ganie
Pahalgam, Jul 3: Amid unprecedented security arrangements, the annual Amarnath Yatra commenced on Thursday with more than 12000 pilgrims paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine, nestled in Himalayas.
Officials said that till 7:15 PM, a total of 12,348 pilgrims paid obeisance. “The devotees included 9,181 males and 2,223 females. The yatra also saw the participation of 99 children, 122 sadhus, and 7 sadhvis, reflecting a wide range of pilgrims undertaking the spiritual journey. Additionally, 8 transgender devotees and 708 personnel from security forces also visited the cave shrine,” they said.
Earlier this morning the first batch of pilgrims left from twin base camps marking a spiritual start to the 38-day-long pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave in south Kashmir Himalayas.
Hundreds of pilgrims were flagged off by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri and DC Anantnag respectively from Baltal in central Kashmir and Nunwan (Pahalgam) in south Kashmir.
Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, also undertook the sacred trek to the Holy Cave of Shri Amarnath from the Baltal base camp in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. She joined thousands of pilgrims participating in the annual spiritual journey through the Himalayas.
Speaking to the media, she said, “Today, we are all going to have the darshan of Bholenath. It feels wonderful. May God bless us all. The atmosphere here is very pleasant, and people are feeling good because development work is also taking place here.”
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, while speaking to reporters at one of the camps, said: “This Yatra is not just a religious pilgrimage. From security forces to pitthus, tents to service providers — everyone is contributing to its success. The enthusiasm among the devotees is unparalleled. I pray everyone’s wishes are fulfilled and peace prevails across Kashmir and the country.”
Pilgrims, too, expressed immense satisfaction with the arrangements. A devotee from the Pahalgam base camp said, “We are not afraid of terrorism. The facilities are excellent. We are thankful to the Shrine Board.”
A veteran pilgrim from Sangrur, Punjab, said, “This is my 14th Amarnath Yatra. The arrangements are better each time. There’s no need to rush — everything is well-managed.”
To ensure smooth conduct of the Yatra, a three-tier security grid has been implemented, with thousands of security personnel deployed along the route. In addition to traditional security measures, AI-powered CCTV surveillance systems are monitoring key locations for real-time threat detection.
Meanwhile, the second batch comprising 5,246 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu early Thursday morning.
The second batch included 4,074 males, 795 females, 19 children, 324 sadhus, 33 sadhvis, and one transgender pilgrim. Of these, 1,993 pilgrims are heading to Baltal, and 3,253 to Pahalgam.
A fleet of 268 vehicles — including 106 buses, 38 medium motor vehicles (MMVs), and 124 light motor vehicles (LMVs) — has been deployed for transportation.
On Wednesday, the first batch of 5,485 Yatris was flagged off from the Yatra base camp in Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The pilgrims who reached the Kashmir Valley, received rousing welcome from the Administration and locals alike.
The Yatra, which began Thursday, will conclude on August 9.
Pilgrims from across the country undertake the Amarnath Yatra to pay obeisance at the holy cave shrine that houses a naturally formed ice shivlingam. (KNO)
