Amarnath Yatra 2023 surpasses last year's pilgrim numbers

Baltal: Pilgrims on their way to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath at Baltal in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir, Saturday, July 1, 2023. The 62-day-long pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath began on Saturday from the twin tracks- the traditional track of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and the shorter track of Baltal in Ganderbal district. (PTI Photo/S. Irfan)

Srinagar: With 3,69,288 Yatris having performed this year’s Amarnath Yatra so far, the pilgrim number has already surpassed last year’s figure of 3,65,751.

Flawless arrangements of security, management and supervision made by the authorities this year for the Yatra are being widely praised.

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Locals have been helping the Yatris perform the pilgrimage while the security forces are ensuring that the locals are not put to inconvenience because of the escorted Yatri convoys and regulation of traffic for this purpose on the twin routes of Baltal and Pahalgam.

Another batch of 2,155 Yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Valley in an escorted convoy on Friday.

Over 9,000 performed the Yatra on its 27th day on Thursday.

Officials said that 2,155 pilgrims who left for the Valley on Friday include 1660 males, 443 females, 6 children, 34 Sadhus and 12 Sadhvis.

Since it started on July 1 this year, 36 pilgrims have died so far during this year’s Amarnath Yatra.

Pilgrims approach the Himalayan cave shrine either from the traditional south Kashmir Pahalgam route, which involves an uphill trek of 43 kilometres from Pahalgam base camp or from the north Kashmir Baltal base camp, which involves 14 Km uphill trek.

Those using the traditional Pahalgam route take 3-4 days to reach the cave shrine while those using the Baltal route return to the base camp the same day after having ‘darshan’ inside the cave shrine situated 3888 metres above the sea-level.

Helicopter services are also available for Yatris on both routes.

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that devotees believe symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

The ice stalagmite structure wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

This year’s 62-day long Amarnath Yatra started on July 1 and will end on August 31 on Shravan Purnima coinciding with Raksha Bandhan festival.

To protect the pilgrims from high altitude sickness, authorities have banned all junk food at the free community kitchens called the ‘Langars’ that have been set up along both the routes of the Yatra.

The banned items include all bottled drinks, halwai items, fried foods and tobacco based products.