Annual Amarnath Yatra Sees Over 7,700 Pilgrims Depart Amid Tight Security

Pilgrimage to the Sacred Amarnath Cave Begins

On Monday, the 12th batch of over 7,700 pilgrims set off for the annual Amarnath Yatra from two base camps in Jammu, all under stringent security measures. This revered cave temple, located at an altitude of 3,880 meters, has already welcomed more than 252,000 devotees who have come to witness the 'Himalingam' of Lord Shiva.

According to officials, the group of 7,754 pilgrims included 5,383 men, 2,071 women, 222 sadhus, 58 sadhvis, 16 children, and four transgender individuals. They traveled in a convoy of 303 vehicles, which was divided into two separate groups for safety reasons.

The first convoy, taking the Baltal route, departed at 3:30 AM with 2,896 pilgrims in 133 vehicles. Meanwhile, the second convoy, following the Pahalgam route, left at 4:05 AM, carrying 4,858 devotees in 170 vehicles. Since the journey commenced on July 2, a total of 87,701 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp towards Kashmir, including those who left on Friday.

The atmosphere at the Bhagwati Nagar base camp was filled with enthusiasm as pilgrims set off, resonating with chants of 'Bam Bam Bhole', 'Har Har Mahadev', and 'Jai Barfani Baba Ki'. Many pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the security and arrangements made by the administration for the smooth conduct of the journey. This sacred annual pilgrimage will conclude on August 28 and will last for 57 days.