Pilgrimage to Amarnaath
Amarnath Yatra :Over 30,000 devotees offered prayers at the Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas on Wednesday, taking the total number of pilgrims visiting the shrine of Baba Barfani during the 52-day annual pilgrimage to over one lakh, officials said. The Amarnath Yatra began on Saturday via two routes – the 48-km-long traditional Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal.
An official said, “On Wednesday, a total of 30,586 pilgrims visited and had darshan of Baba Barfani on the fifth day of the annual yatra.” According to officials, with this the number of pilgrims visiting the cave temple this year has now increased to 1,05,282. He said that 21,893 male pilgrims, 5,858 female pilgrims, 394 sadhus and one sadhvi had darshan of the Shivling made of ice in the cave. Apart from this, 1,991 security personnel, four transgenders and 445 children also made the pilgrimage. The pilgrimage will end on August 19. Last year more than 4.5 lakh pilgrims had darshan at the cave temple.
A group of more than 5,700 devotees left
A fresh batch of over 5,700 pilgrims left for the Amarnath cave shrine from Jammu on Wednesday. Officials said the sixth batch of 5,725 pilgrims left in 256 vehicles at 3.05 am for the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps. They said 3,211 pilgrims opted for the traditional 48-km-long Pahalgam route and 2,514 pilgrims opted for the shorter but tougher 14-km-long Baltal route.
Amarnath Yatra started on 29 June
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had flagged off the first batch on June 28 and since then a total of 31,826 pilgrims have left for the Kashmir Valley from the Jammu base camp. The 52-day pilgrimage began on June 29 and will conclude on August 19. Last year, more than 4.5 lakh pilgrims had visited the ice shivling. Officials said a monitoring system has been set up at the Integrated Command and Control Centre to keep an eye on all arrangements, weather conditions and activities, where more than 50 officials from various departments have been deployed to assist the pilgrims. They said helpline numbers have also been issued.
Let us tell you that on the first day of this pilgrimage, Saturday (30 June), more than 13,000 pilgrims visited the holy Amarnath cave temple. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while wishing the pilgrims on the commencement of the Amarnath Yatra, had said that the darshan of Baba Barfani gives immense energy to the devotees of Lord Shiva. In a post on ‘X’, the Prime Minister said, “My heartfelt wishes to all the pilgrims on the commencement of the holy Amarnath Yatra. This journey associated with the darshan and worship of Baba Barfani gives immense energy to the devotees of Lord Shiva. I wish that all the devotees may prosper with his blessings. Jai Baba Barfani. (Language)
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