Over 5,700 Pilgrims Depart Jammu for Amarnath Yatra Amid Tight Security
A fresh batch of 5,794 pilgrims, including 1,211 women, departed from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu early Monday for the annual Amarnath Yatra, officials said. The group, which included 21 children, 599 Sadhus and 76 Sadhvis, left in separate convoys between 3:10 a.m. and 3:45 a.m. under tight security arrangements.
Of these, 3,490 pilgrims travelling in 139 vehicles are heading to the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam, while 2,304 pilgrims in 128 vehicles are bound for the Baltal base camp. The yatra is being conducted simultaneously via the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
Since the yatra began on July 3, around 60,000 pilgrims have offered prayers at the holy cave shrine, located at an altitude of 3,880 metres in the south Himalayas. The 57-day annual pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan.
The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board has made extensive arrangements for the safety and convenience of pilgrims, including medical facilities, rest camps, and langars (community kitchens). Security forces have been deployed along the routes to ensure a smooth and secure pilgrimage.
