Amarnath Yatra resumes after day's suspension

Jammu, Aug 6 (IANS) Amarnath Yatra resumed on Tuesday after a day’s suspension as another batch of 1,873 Yatris left Jammu for the North Kashmir Baltal base camp.

Officials of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB, which manages the affairs of the Yatra, said that since the day the pilgrimage started on June 29 this year, around five lakh devotees had ‘darshan’ inside the holy cave shrine.

“No Yatri convoy is going to the South Kashmir Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp today. Only one escorted convoy of 69 vehicles carrying 1,873 Yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu at 3.25 a.m. for the North Kashmir Baltal base camp. No Yatri is going to Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp today. Now only the ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (Lord Shiva’s Mace) will be carried through the traditional Pahalgam route to the cave shrine. The Chhari Mubarak will leave Pahalgam for the cave shrine on August 14,” the officials said.

The large number of security forces, including police and CAPFs, have been doing round-the-clock duties all along the over 350-long route from Jammu to the two base camps to secure the pilgrims’ passage.

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

Locals are not far behind in ensuring that the Yatris are assisted to perform the mountainous journey with ease. Locals provide ponies and also work as porters for the pilgrims often carrying the weak and infirm devotees on their backs to and from the cave shrine.

Officials of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) headed by Lt. Governor, Manoj Sinha have been managing the affairs of the Yatra with professional competence. All this together, has ensured this year’s safe, smooth and hassle-free pilgrimage to the cave shrine through some of the most rugged and treacherous mountain terrain in the Himalayas, said the officials.

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon. Devotees believe that this ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

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

The Pahalgam-Cave shrine axis is 48 Km long and takes Yatris 4-5 days to reach the shrine. The Baltal-Cave shrine axis is 14 Km long and takes one day for the pilgrims to have ‘Darshan’ and return to the base camp.

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

This year’s Yatra will conclude after 52 days on August 19 coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals.