Resumes on Baltal axis in valley; suspended from Jammu due to rains
Jammu: Terming the number of Amarnath pilgrims crossing the 4 lakh mark as a “miracle,” Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said the record participation of devotees from across the country and the world in the annual Amarnath Yatra stands as a testament to India’s unity and its unwavering resolve to overcome challenges.
LG Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath ji Shrine Board (SASB), while sharing the information about number of pilgrims crossing 4 lakh mark, wrote on his X handle:
“Baba Amarnath makes the impossible, possible. With his blessings, the Holy Yatra today crossed the figure of 4 Lakh. I bow to Lord Shiva for this miracle and express my gratitude to everyone involved in making the holy pilgrimage a divine experience for devotees.”
“This godly expedition was incomparable not because it’s arduous and challenging but because it’s an inimitable journey into pure bliss. It’s a spiritual experience & gives an opportunity to devotees to know themselves & offers deep trust & fills their hearts with infinite gratitude,” wrote LG Sinha.
“I am truly thankful to the devotees, who have shown immense faith and strengthened our priceless spiritual heritage,” he said.
The cave shrine situated at 3888 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.
Devotees believe that the ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.
This year’s Yatra started on July 3 and will end on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festival.
Earlier, the Amarnath Yatra resumed from the Baltal axis in the Kashmir valley on Thursday but was suspended from Jammu due to inclement weather conditions.
No fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to proceed from Jammu to the cave shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas this morning, officials said.
In view of maintenance works on the Pahalgam axis of the Amarnath Yatra route following the rains, the yatra will continue only through the Baltal axis.
Torrential rains in Kashmir had rendered the roads unsafe, following which the pilgrimage was suspended on both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes on Wednesday.
“The yatra resumed this morning from the Baltal route,” an official said, adding, “In view of maintenance works required to be carried out on the Pahalgam axis of Amarnath Yatra route following the recent rains, the yatra shall continue only through Baltal axis.”
The official said that no convoy movement would be allowed towards the Baltal and Nunwan base camps from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on Thursday.
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar said that due to heavy rains in the yatra area, the movement of pilgrims from base camps in Kashmir has been affected.
“Therefore, it was decided that no convoy movement shall be allowed towards the base camps at Baltal and Nunwan from Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu on July 31,” he said.
The pilgrims are housed in the high-security Bhagwati Nagar base camp for their further journey to the twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal on Friday.
This is the second time the yatra has been suspended from Jammu. On July 17, the yatra was suspended due to heavy rains at the twin base camps in Kashmir.
Over 3.93 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the ice lingam of Lord Shiva at the 3,880-metre high cave shrine since the 38-day pilgrimage commenced on July 3 from the Valley.
A total of 1,44,124 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp for the Valley since July 2, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch.
Last year, over 5.10 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine.
The pilgrimage is scheduled to end on August 9, coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival.
