Srinagar, Jul 15: The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026 continues to witness an overwhelming influx of devotees, with over 26,000 pilgrims paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Baba Barfani on Wednesday, while 6,251 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in the 14th batch under multi-tier security arrangements.
According to official figures, the day’s pilgrims included 15,151 males, 4,147 females, 275 children and 374 sadhus, who performed darshan at the naturally formed ice Shivlingam inside the sacred cave shrine.
With this, the cumulative number of pilgrims who have paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine since the commencement of the 57-day annual pilgrimage on July 3 has reached 3,01,926. The steadily rising footfall reflects the deep faith of devotees and the extensive arrangements put in place by the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board, the Jammu and Kashmir Administration and security agencies to ensure a safe and smooth pilgrimage despite the challenging terrain and weather conditions.
Official sources said pilgrims who completed darshan have also begun their return journey towards their respective base camps through the Baltal and Pahalgam routes.
Earlier in the day, 6,251 pilgrims departed Jammu for the twin base camps in a convoy of 230 vehicles. Of these, 2,985 pilgrims were bound for the Baltal route, while 3,266 pilgrims opted for the traditional Pahalgam route.
The batch comprised 4,439 male pilgrims, 1,614 female pilgrims, 13 children, 53 sadhvis, one sadhu child, 50 foreign male pilgrims and three transgender pilgrims. The convoy consisted of 137 buses, 34 medium motor vehicles (MMVs) and 59 light motor vehicles (LMVs).
The Baltal-bound convoy departed at 2:53 am, while the Pahalgam-bound convoy left at 3:57 am under elaborate security arrangements. Personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF and other security agencies escorted the convoys to ensure the safe movement of pilgrims along both routes.
Meanwhile, officials said 1,848 pilgrims had returned to Domail after completing darshan till 1:00 pm on Wednesday. The returning pilgrims included 1,375 males, 436 females, 15 children, five sadhus, two sadhvis, two transgender pilgrims and 15 security personnel.
The annual pilgrimage has been progressing peacefully, with authorities maintaining strict security, traffic regulation, medical facilities and disaster management measures to facilitate a safe and hassle-free pilgrimage for devotees from across the country.
