June 29th 2024.
On the first day of the annual Amarnath Yatra, more than 13,000 devoted pilgrims traveled to the holy cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas amidst tight security. The journey began as the first batch of pilgrims departed from the twin base camps in Baltal and Nunwan, embarking on their spiritual quest to the cave located at an altitude of 3,880 meters.
Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his warm greetings to the pilgrims, acknowledging the immense energy that the darshan of Lord Shiva brings to his followers. In a heartfelt message, he wished all devotees a prosperous journey and praised the significance of the Yatra associated with Baba Barfani.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed his best wishes for the Yatra, calling it an eternal symbol of the traditionalism and continuity of Indian culture. He reassured that the Modi government is dedicated to ensuring a safe, smooth, and pleasant pilgrimage for all devotees.
The Yatra commenced in the early hours of the morning from the two routes - the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal. The first day saw a total of 13,736 pilgrims, including 3,300 females, 52 children, 102 sadhus, and 682 security personnel, visiting the holy cave to seek blessings from the naturally formed ice lingam.
The inaugural batch was flagged off by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha from the Yatri Niwas base camp in Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu, on Friday. The government has made stringent security arrangements and deployed thousands of personnel from various forces along the route to ensure the smooth conduct of the Yatra. Aerial surveillance is also being carried out for added security.
The 52-day long pilgrimage will conclude on August 19. In the meantime, ONGC, a central public sector undertaking, has set up two 100-bed hospitals at the twin base camps and announced that the facilities would continue to operate even after the Yatra, providing medical aid to the locals as well.
Last year, more than 4.5 lakh pilgrims had visited the holy cave shrine, and this year, the number is expected to increase with the government's efforts to make the Yatra a safe and pleasant experience for all devotees.
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