The Shri Amarnath Yatra, which was halted for six days due to adverse weather conditions, has restarted. A fresh group of 6,269 Yatris departed from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Kashmir Valley. The yatra was paused on July 19 as a precautionary step amidst heavy rainfall and unfavorable weather conditions in Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials mentioned that the 18th batch of pilgrims, including 1,470 women, 25 children, and 54 Sadhus, left in a convoy of 223 vehicles for the Baltal base camp. The pilgrimage recommenced after the weather improved and the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway reopened following landslides and shooting stones along the Udhampur-Ramban stretch.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha initiated the first batch of pilgrims on July 2, a day before the annual pilgrimage began. The yatra is set to conclude on August 28, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and the Raksha Bandhan festival after a 57-day duration. Nearly four lakh pilgrims have visited the cave shrine so far, with around 1.20 lakh commencing their journey from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu.
Pilgrims choosing the Jammu base camp are escorted to Kashmir in convoys under strict security measures. The cave shrine, located 3,880 meters above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas, contains an ice stalagmite structure associated with Lord Shiva’s mythical powers, believed to fluctuate with the moon’s phases.
