Amidst chanting of Vedic Mantras, the first batch of 4603 Yatris was flagged off for the holy Cave Shrine from Bhagwati Nagar Jammu base camp in a cavalcade of 231 light and heavy vehicles.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of devotees for the pilgrimage to the holy cave of Shri Amarnath Ji.
The Lieutenant Governor extended his best wishes to all the pilgrims for a safe, blessed, and spiritually enriching journey.
"May the blessings of Baba Amarnath Ji bring peace, happiness, and prosperity to everyone's life," the Lt Governor said.
Eminent spiritual leaders, heads of religious organizations; public representatives; senior officers of Civil Administration, Police, Security Forces, and Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board, prominent citizens, and devotees in large number were present at the occasion.
The pilgrims left for the twin base camps in Kashmir — north Kashmir's Baltal and south Kashmir's Anantnag — from Jammu amid tight security.
#ShriAmarnathjiYatra2024 Volunteers from across the country have set up langars at various locations along the route to the holy cave, starting from the Lakhanpur entry point. The Bhandara organizers are ready to welcome the pilgrims and have made all necessary arrangements at… pic.twitter.com/x2pUUgb0tw
— Information & PR, J&K (@diprjk) June 28, 2024
The 52-day pilgrimage will begin from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal — on Saturday and conclude on August 19.
The pilgrims left in a cavalcade of 231 vehicles. They were escorted by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.
Yatra to start from two basecamps in Kashmir from June 29
Starting from the twin basecamps in Kashmir in Baltal and Pahalgam, pilgrims embark on a challenging journey to reach the 3,880-meter-high Amarnath cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva in the southern Kashmir Himalayas.
This revered Hindu pilgrimage attracts tens of thousands of devotees annually. To ensure the smooth conduct of this year's Yatra, comprehensive arrangements have been put in place, including three-tier security, area dominance, well-defined routes, and checkpoints.
From June 28 to August 19, traffic restrictions will be enforced on various routes, with daily advisories issued to minimize inconvenience. This year, over 350,000 people have registered for the yatra. Along the two routes leading to the cave shrine, 125 community kitchens (langars) have been established, supported by more than 6,000 volunteers.
First batch of Yatris reaches Kashmir
Within six hours after arriving from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp, the first batch of pilgrims for the annual Amarnath Yatra reached the Kashmir valley on Friday amid stringent security arrangements.
In a gesture of hospitality, the first batch of Shri Amarnathji Yatra pilgrims were warmly received by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Dr. Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat, as they reached Pantha Chowk in Srinagar.
Received the first batch of Shri Amarnathji pilgrims at the Navyug tunnel Qazigund as they entered the Kashmir valley. Local citizens, trade fraternity, civil society members extended a warm welcome! #ShriAmarnathJiYatra2024@OfficeOfLGJandK @HMOIndia @diprjk @DivComKash… pic.twitter.com/XyuggEK56K
— Athar Aamir Khan (@AtharAamirKhan) June 28, 2024
After their arrival in Srinagar, senior officials in police and civil administration, and local people welcomed the 4,603 pilgrims at the Navyug tunnel in the Qazigund area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district.
Deputy Commissioner Kulgam, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kulgam, and members of civil society, trade fraternity, fruit growers association, and other local citizens extended a warm welcome to Shri Amarnathji Yatris at Navyug tunnel.
Earlier, after their arrival at Ramban, the first batch of Amarnath Yatris accorded a rousing welcome at Ramban. District administration led by Deputy Commissioner Ramban and senior officers, welcomes the Yatris who left Base Camp Jammu early this morning.
