The Amarnath Yatra resumed on Friday after a day-long suspension triggered by heavy rain, with nearly 8,000 pilgrims setting off under tightened security arrangements along the Pahalgam and Baltal routes.
Of the 7,908 devotees who left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu early morning, 5,029 headed for Pahalgam and 2,879 towards Baltal. The convoy of 261 vehicles, comprising both light and heavy motor vehicles, crossed Udhampur with coordinated support from security and administrative agencies.
The annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine was suspended on Thursday due to inclement weather, as rainfall made the tracks unsafe. Officials confirmed the suspension had been lifted after conditions improved.
“Pilgrims have been visiting the shrine from all parts of the country and abroad since the beginning of the Yatra, expressing great enthusiasm for undertaking this journey of faith, while also appreciating the services and efficient management of the Yatra,” officials said.
The Jammu and Kashmir Department of Information and Public Relations stated on Thursday that over 2.51 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the shrine since the pilgrimage commenced on July 3. On Thursday alone, despite the suspension, 5,110 devotees had completed darshan by 2:00 pm.
Also read: Army rescues Amarnath yatris stranded after landslide
Thousands undertake the pilgrimage each year via two main routes, the 48-kilometre traditional Pahalgam path in South Kashmir, and the steeper 14-kilometre Baltal track in the north. The Yatra, which lasts 38 days, is set to conclude on August 9.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah earlier expressed confidence that this year’s turnout could set a new record, dispelling fears of poor participation following the April Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
“The Amarnath Yatra will continue till August 9, and I hope that this number will increase. There was a time when, after the Pahalgam attack, it seemed that hardly anyone would come for the Amarnath Yatra. But we have touched 2.5 lakh, and if it stays like this, then we should easily cross three lakhs and 3.5 lakh,” Abdullah said.
Follow us
