The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026 started on Friday, with numerous devotees beginning the sacred journey to the holy cave shrine of Lord Shiva. The pilgrimage, spanning 57 days until August 28, aims to accommodate a larger number of devotees this year.
Prior to the yatra’s start, the initial group of pilgrims arrived at the twin base camps in Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam) after departing from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu under security escorts. A total of 4,822 pilgrims were divided into two escorted convoys, with 2,510 reaching Nunwan (Pahalgam) and 2,312 safely arriving at Baltal.
At Baltal, the pilgrims were warmly greeted by officials including Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Satish Sharma, Deputy Inspector General of Armed Police Maqsood Ul Zaman, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal Jatin Kishore, and Senior Superintendent of Police Ganderbal Sudhanshu Dhama. These officials interacted with the devotees, extending well wishes for a safe and spiritually enriching pilgrimage.
Authorities have ensured comprehensive security, traffic management, and public facilitation measures along the yatra route through collaboration between various agencies. Dedicated teams, assistance booths, and 24/7 police presence have been established to guide and support pilgrims, emphasizing adherence to advisories and cooperation with security personnel.
