|HT|
Jammu & Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday morning flagged off the first batch of pilgrims for the annual Amarnath Yatra from the Yatri Niwas base camp at Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu for their onward journey to the Pahalgam and Baltal base camps in Kashmir. “Flagged off the first batch of pilgrims, as they set off to Shri Amarnath Ji Cave Shrine from Jammu base camp. Prayed for the peace, prosperity and a safe spiritual journey for pilgrims,” LG Sinha wrote on his Twitter handle.
Escorted by paramilitary personnel atop security vehicles, the first batch left the base camp amid tight security arrangements. The 43-day long pilgrimage, being held after a gap of two years due to Covid pandemic, to the cave shrine will begin from twin base camps in Kashmir on Thursday and will conclude on August 11.
Over 3.42 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the shrine from July 1 to August 1, 2019, before the government cancelled the pilgrimage midway ahead of the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories. “We were eagerly waiting for this moment for the past over two years. There is no fear among us,” said Rakesh Jaiswal from Rajasthan.
“We want to be there at the holy cave shrine to pay obeisance to Baba Barfani,” said Jaiswal’s friend Pawan Kumar.
The group of five pilgrims came from Jodhpur in Rajasthan for the fourth time.
Another group of eight pilgrims from the lake city of Bhopal was also upbeat to undertake the pilgrimage.
“Every year threats are issued by terror outfits. There is nothing new in it and every year devotees of Mahakaal come in herds to pay obeisance,” said Jyoti Devi urging the pilgrims to visit the cave shrine to seek blessings of Lord Shiva. Amarnath pilgrimage is deeply revered by the Hindu pilgrims, who visit the cave shrine from parts of India and abroad.
This year, the government has introduced a Radio Frequency Identification to track the movement and well-being of the pilgrims.
Jammu district police chief, SSP Chandan Kohli said, “Adequate security measures have been put in place for the base camps and lodging places in Jammu city”.
Police have issued special stickers for vehicles ferrying pilgrims. No vehicle without the sticker will be allowed to proceed towards the cave shrine, he added.
The yatra will commence on June 30 from the traditional 45 km Nunwan route in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam and the shorter 16-km Baltal route in Ganderbal.
Over three lakh pilgrims have registered so far for the annual Amarnath Yatra and the government expected over six lakh pilgrims this year.
(Except for the headline and the pictorial description, this story has not been edited by THE DEN staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)