Srinagar, Jul 10: The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra has crossed a major milestone, with more than two lakh devotees offering prayers at the holy cave shrine within the first eight days of the pilgrimage, underscoring the strong spiritual fervour witnessed this year.
On Friday, the ninth batch of 8,796 pilgrims departed from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Kashmir Valley amid elaborate security arrangements. The convoy was escorted under a multi-layered security grid as authorities continued to ensure the safe and smooth movement of yatris towards the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, in a post on X, said In a remarkable testament to faith, the holy Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra has crossed the 2 lakh pilgrim mark in just 8 days. With the pilgrimage running smoothly on both the routes, the spiritual celebration is set to welcome a steady arrival of devotees in the coming weeks. Har Har Mahadev!
According to official figures, 3,450 pilgrims in the ninth batch opted for the shorter Baltal route, while 5,346 chose the traditional Pahalgam route.
Officials said that by 8:00 am on July 10, a total of 14,502 pilgrims had crossed the Domail Access Control Gate en route to the holy cave shrine. The pilgrims included 8,516 men, 5,064 women, 529 children, 78 sadhus, 59 sadhvis, nine transgender devotees and 247 security personnel.
By 6:00 pm, 16,288 pilgrims had safely returned to Domail after completing darshan. The returning group comprised 10,920 men, 4,830 women, 198 children, 115 sadhus, eight sadhvis, two transgender devotees and 215 security personnel.
The continued influx of pilgrims highlights the extensive preparations made by the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), the Jammu and Kashmir administration and security agencies. Authorities have deployed comprehensive arrangements, including round-the-clock security, traffic management, medical facilities, emergency response teams, sanitation services and accommodation to facilitate the smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage.
Officials have urged pilgrims to strictly adhere to advisories issued by the administration and cooperate with authorities to ensure the Yatra continues in a safe, peaceful and well-organised manner.
