Amarnath Yatra: Devotees queue up at designated bank branches for registration

Jammu: The offline registration for the upcoming annual Amarnath Yatra began with enthusiastic pilgrims making a beeline outside the designated bank branches on Tuesday, hoping to get an opportunity to be part of the first batch to visit the revered shrine.

The 38-day pilgrimage is scheduled to begin on July 3 from the twin routes - the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district and 14-km shorter but steep Baltal route in Ganderbal district.

The yatra will culminate on August 9, coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival.

Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), which manages the annual pilgrimage, has designated a total of 540 bank branches across the country for advance registration of the pilgrims, in addition to the online facility for registration on its website which started on Monday.

According to the board, no one below the age of 13 or above 75 and women with more than six weeks' pregnancy shall be registered for the pilgrimage.

“The advance yatra registration commenced this morning with intending devotees, both men and women, turning up early to secure their slot for the annual pilgrimage,” an official of the Punjab National Bank, Rehari branch, said.

He said the registration is a must for all the pilgrims intending to undertake the yatra.

Expressing happiness over the start of the advance registration, Ajay Mehra, a local resident, said they have been waiting for this day to be among the first to visit the shrine, housing the naturally formed ice-shivling.

“This is my seventh yatra this year and I am happy to be here to get registered,” he said, asking devotees to come for ‘darshan of the Baba Barfani’ as "the happiness you will get there cannot be found anywhere else".

Amid chants of ‘Bham Bham Bole’ by the devotees, he said that the experience of visiting the shrine cannot be described in words.

Sham Lal Dogra, another pilgrim waiting in the queue, said this will be his 45th visit to the shrine this year, while several women said they are visiting the shrine for the first time and are excited for getting their prayers fulfilled.

“I waited for many years and this time my dream to visit the shrine will get fulfilled,” Asha Devi said.

Atika, a college student, said almost all her family members including parents had visited the Amarnath shrine and "this time it is my turn to pay obeisance there".

Kusum Gupta (50) said she just wanted to go there and offer her prayers. She is part of a six-member family group and they have chosen the Baltal route to complete their first yatra.

Last year, over 5.12 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine which was the highest in the past 12 years.