A fresh batch of 8,600 pilgrims left Jammu Base camp on early Monday morning to join the annual Amarnath Yatra 2025 in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. The Yatra commenced on 3 July and will culminate on the eve of Raksha Bandhan, 9 August.
The sixth batch of 8,605 pilgrims included some 6,486 men, 1,826 women, 42 children, and 251 Sadhus and Sadhvis who left the Jammu base camp at an interval of 55 minutes, with the first cavalcade setting off its journey at 3:30 AM and the second one setting off its journey at 4:25 AM, the officials said.
According to official stats, more than 70,000 devotees have paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine, which is situated at an altitude of 3,880 meters. The 38-day-long yatra began on twin routes of Baltal, which remains shorter but steeper, with a 14 km stretch, whereas the second, or traditional route, which is much easier to trek, is almost 48 km long.
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The first pilgrim cavalcade, carrying 3,486 pilgrims in 166 vehicles, left for the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in the Ganderbal district. While the cavalcade of 5,119 pilgrims in 206 vehicles are undertaking the yatra from the 48-km traditional Pahalgam route in the Anantnag district, they said.
The sixth batch by far is the largest batch since Wednesday, when the Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha flagged off the Yatra on 2 July.
Reports on Monday suggest that the newly established offline centres are witnessing a massive rush as pilgrims are arriving in large numbers to join this year’s yatra. Over 3,000 devotees arrived in Jammu from various parts of the country to get themselves registered, they added.
The Yatra is once again picking up despite the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead when they were enjoying their holidays. Regarding the arrangement, a total of 106 lodgement centres have been set up for the purpose, officials said.
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