Srinagar/Jammu, July 03: The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra commenced on Friday, with the first batches of pilgrims leaving the twin base camps at Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam) for the holy cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, while the second batch of 3,865 pilgrims departed from Jammu for Kashmir under elaborate security arrangements.
Officials said that the pilgrimage began in the early hours from both the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route and the shorter 14-km Baltal route despite intermittent rainfall.
They said pilgrims, including men, women and sadhus, started their journey towards the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine amid chants of “Bum Bum Bhole” after being flagged off by the respective Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police from the two base camps.
Meanwhile, the second batch of pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in two escorted convoys. According to official figures, 1,735 pilgrims bound for the Baltal route departed at 3:13 am, while 2,130 pilgrims heading towards the Pahalgam route left at 3:38 am, taking the total strength of the second batch to 3,865.
Officials said the batch comprises 2,965 male pilgrims, 618 women, 230 sadhus, 48 sadhvis and four children.
The pilgrims are travelling in 201 vehicles, including 83 buses, 14 medium motor vehicles (MMVs) and 104 light motor vehicles (LMVs). “115 are part of the Baltal-bound convoy, while 86 are heading towards the Pahalgam base camp,” said the officials.
Authorities have put in place multi-tier security arrangements, with personnel from the J&K Police, CRPF and other security agencies deployed to ensure the safe and smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage. The 57-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 28.
Notably, with the departure of the second batch on Friday, a total of 8,687 pilgrims have left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Kashmir Valley over the past two days to undertake the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra.(KNO)
