Amid the chants of Vedic mantras and reciting of devotional songs, the first batch of 3,488 Amarnath pilgrims left for two base camps -- Nunwan and Baltal in Kashmir from Jammu with foolproof security arrangements all across the yatra route on Friday.
The 62-days annual pilgrimage to the 3,880 metre high cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas is set to begin from July 1. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from Yatri Niwas, Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu.
The first batch of yatris will reach twin base camps by this evening. The religious chants and enthusiasm of pilgrims created a spiritual ambiance at the Jammu Yatri Niwas - the base camp for pilgrims.
“The holy pilgrimage is the ultimate bliss. It is the path of humility, compassion and awareness. Shiv Sutra says, क्समो भैरव:, the spiritual endeavour is Bhairava, the first step to experience the divine. It is the journey of inner transformation,” Sinha said.
He said the Union Territory administration has made elaborate arrangements for a safe and hassle-free pilgrimage. As many as 3.5 lakh pilgrims have already registered for the Yatra so far and the number is expected to increase.
With intelligence inputs of possible attack on the pilgrims, three-tier security has been put in place for the entire yatra route, including the mountains in the south and central Kashmir.
“The primary focus will remain on highways—Srinagar-Jammu and Srinagar-Ganderbal to ensure smooth flow of vehicles ferrying pilgrims. The pilgrim vehicles are fitted with radio frequency identification (RIFD) chips that will remain under the radars connected with respective control rooms,” a senior police officer told DH.
He said no vehicle carrying pilgrims will be allowed to cross a particular point after cut-off timing and non HSRP vehicles are barred from carrying pilgrims.
The administration this year is not only taking foolproof security measures for the yatra but comprehensive measures are being taken to prevent a 2022 like situation when cloudburst hit the yatra campsite killing 16 pilgrims.
The annual yatra was canceled in 2020 as well as 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic. In 2019 it was cut short following intelligence inputs of terror threats ahead of the Centre scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
This time a record number of pilgrims are expected to pay obeisance at the cave shrine as it will be the longest pilgrimage in history.