Over 7,500 Pilgrims Depart for Amarnath Cave Temple Amid Festive Atmosphere

New Batch of Pilgrims Sets Off

A fresh group of over 7,500 pilgrims departed late Tuesday night from Jammu for the Amarnath Cave Temple, located at an altitude of 3,880 meters in the Himalayan region of South Kashmir, as reported by officials.

Pilgrimage Numbers Surge

The total number of devotees visiting the cave temple has surpassed one lakh. The 38-day pilgrimage commenced on July 3, with two routes available: the traditional 48-kilometer Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter yet steeper 14-kilometer Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The journey is set to conclude on August 9.

Security Measures in Place

According to officials, the eighth batch of 7,579 pilgrims, comprising 5,719 men, 1,577 women, and 40 children, departed from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp between 3:25 AM and 3:40 AM, traveling in 318 vehicles under the protection of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police.

First Convoy Heads to Baltal

The initial convoy, consisting of 142 vehicles, carried 3,031 pilgrims to the Baltal route in Ganderbal district, followed by a second group of 4,548 pilgrims traveling via the Pahalgam route in 176 vehicles.

Festive Atmosphere in Jammu

On July 2, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first group of pilgrims heading to the Amarnath Cave. The atmosphere in Jammu resembles a festival, with a significant number of pilgrims seen in markets, community kitchens, and accommodation centers. So far, over 350,000 individuals have registered online for the pilgrimage.

Accommodation and Food Arrangements

In Jammu, 34 accommodation centers have been established, and pilgrims are being issued Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags. Twelve counters have been set up for on-site registration.

Extensive Support for Pilgrims

Officials have arranged food and lodging for over 50,000 individuals across various accommodation centers in the Jammu region, from Lakhanpur to Banihal, with more than 100 centers dedicated to this purpose.

Enhanced Security Deployment

A senior police officer indicated that a total of 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed for the safety of the pilgrims, which is an increase of 30 companies compared to previous years.