The annual Amarnath Yatra commenced on Friday with thousands of devotees beginning their spiritual journey to the holy cave shrine in the Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir. As the 57-day pilgrimage got underway, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to pilgrims through a special letter, describing the yatra as a symbol of India’s spiritual heritage and cultural unity.
PM Modi Extends Wishes To Pilgrims
Marking the start of the pilgrimage, the Prime Minister shared a heartfelt message for devotees of Lord Shiva and wished them a safe and blessed journey.
In his letter, PM Modi said, “The Amarnath Yatra, connected with the darshan of Baba Barfani, is an eternal chapter in our spiritual tradition and cultural unity. My wish is that this journey of the devotees of Shiva be safe and auspicious in every way! On this sacred occasion, my letter to the pilgrims linked with five resolutions.”
The Prime Minister’s message comes as lakhs of devotees from across the country prepare to undertake one of India’s most significant religious pilgrimages.
Pilgrims Begin Journey From Twin Base Camps
The first batches of pilgrims set out from the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district and the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam, Anantnag district, during the early hours of Friday. The atmosphere was filled with chants of “Bam Bam Bhole,” “Har Har Mahadev,” and “Jai Barfani Baba Ki” as devotees began their trek towards the sacred cave shrine situated at an altitude of 3,880 metres.
The annual pilgrimage is dedicated to the naturally formed ice Shivling inside the Amarnath cave, which attracts devotees from across India every year.
Thousands Reach Kashmir Valley
A day earlier, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu. On Friday, thousands more pilgrims departed in a convoy of over 200 vehicles under heavy security.
Officials said a significant number of devotees are travelling through both the Baltal and the traditional Pahalgam routes. With Friday’s departure, thousands of pilgrims have already entered the Kashmir Valley to continue their spiritual journey.
Multi-Layered Security Deployed
Authorities have implemented extensive security measures across the pilgrimage route to ensure the safe movement of devotees. Personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and other Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed at sensitive locations, transit camps and along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
In addition to ground security, aerial surveillance and continuous monitoring are being carried out to safeguard the pilgrimage.
Pilgrimage To Continue Till August 28
The Amarnath Yatra will continue for 57 days and conclude on August 28. Officials have appealed to pilgrims to follow all safety guidelines and cooperate with security personnel to ensure the smooth conduct of one of the country’s largest annual religious pilgrimages.
