Ganderbal, July 13: Faith knows no distance for 54-year-old Babu Giri, a resident of Jala village in Auraiya district of Uttar Pradesh, who has once again embarked on an extraordinary bicycle pilgrimage of more than 1,500 kilometres to pay obeisance at the Holy Amarnath Cave Shrine.
Undertaking the arduous journey entirely on a bicycle, Babu Giri said this is his 14th consecutive annual pilgrimage to the revered Himalayan shrine, a tradition he has maintained for the past 14 years with unwavering devotion to Baba Barfani.
Speaking to Rising Kashmir, the pilgrim said he began his journey from his hometown on June 21, 2026, and reached Kashmir after 24 days of cycling through several states.
“I have been coming on a bicycle for the past 14 years. This is my 14th Yatra. I started from Uttar Pradesh on June 21 and have now reached Kashmir after 24 days,” he said.
For Babu Giri, the pilgrimage is not about personal desires or material wishes but an act of pure faith.
“I do not ask God for anything. I only pray that everyone’s wishes are fulfilled. That is my only prayer,” he said.
Despite covering thousands of kilometres on two wheels, the pilgrim said he has never faced any major hardship during his annual journeys. He credited the generosity of devotees and voluntary community kitchens (Bhandaras) along the route for supporting him with food and shelter.
“People know me from previous yatras. I stay at Bhandaras or sometimes at the homes of devotees. God has always taken care of me,” he said.
The Amarnath pilgrimage is only one part of his annual spiritual circuit. After completing the darshan at the Holy Cave, he plans to continue cycling to Kedarnath, Badrinath and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, completing a pilgrimage lasting nearly three months.
Reflecting on the changes he has witnessed over the last 14 years, Babu Giri praised the significant improvements in infrastructure and cleanliness along the pilgrimage route.
“Earlier, there were no proper roads. Today everything is much cleaner and better organised,” he observed.
His inspiring journey comes as the ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026 continues to witness a massive influx of pilgrims. According to official figures, more than 2 lakh devotees have already paid obeisance at the Holy Cave Shrine, with the pilgrimage progressing smoothly via both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes.
