Pilgrims wait for registration of Amarnath Yatra in Jammu.
Credit: PTI Photo
Srinagar: The annual Amarnath Yatra to the holy cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas is set to begin on July 3 and will conclude on August 9, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
This was decided during the 48th Board meeting of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), chaired by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Board.
The registration process for the Yatra 2025 is expected to begin soon, with facilities for online and offline registration.
The yatra will commence on July 3 simultaneously from traditional and longer 48-kms long Pahalgam route, which takes four to five days to reach the shrine and shorter 14 km-long Baltal route which takes one day for the pilgrims to have ‘darshan’ and return to the base camp.
Considering the likely increased inflow of pilgrims this year, the meeting discussed measures for the enhancement of lodgment capacity at centres in Jammu, Srinagar and other locations, an official spokesperson said.
Last year over 5.10 lakh yatries paid obeisance to Lord Shiva at Amarnath cave shrine compared to 4.5 lakh visitors in 2023. The increased turnout was attributed to improved logistical arrangements, enhanced security measures, and favorable weather conditions.
The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave, situated in south Kashmir Himalayas at an altitude of 3,888 meters above sea level, is revered by Hindus for its natural ice Shiva Lingam, considered a manifestation of Lord Shiva.
The meeting also discussed ongoing projects, dissemination of Yatra-related information, insurance cover to yatris, service providers, ponies; extension of online services by the Shrine Board, widening and maintenance of Yatra tracks, decongestion measures at cave shrine, disaster preparedness and mitigation measures, adequate provisioning of heli services, medical care facilities, weather forecasting infrastructure and security.