Jammu, June 3 (IANS) As the 36-day-long Amarnath Yatra commenced, thousands of pilgrims from across the country converged in Jammu and Kashmir to undertake the pilgrimage and offer prayers at the revered Amarnath cave shrine.

Devotees expressed immense satisfaction with the arrangements made by the administration and praised the Indian Army for ensuring their safety during the pilgrimage.

The first batch of Yatris began their journey from the Baltal base camp early Thursday morning, with another group departing from Pahalgam.

Meanwhile, the second batch of 5,246 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas on Canal Road in Jammu for the Valley in two escorted convoys, underscoring the tight security measures in place.

Speaking to IANS, pilgrims voiced their gratitude and joy over the seamless arrangements.

One devotee said, “I have been coming to Baba Barfani’s shrine continuously since 2019, and it feels wonderful every time. The arrangements made by the administration are excellent.”

Another added, “The arrangements made by the government are praiseworthy. We are very happy.”

The turnout this year appears significantly larger than in past years. One pilgrim said, “When things were concerning around here, where terror attacks used to happen, very few people used to come for Yatra. But this time, people have come in large numbers.”

Others echoed similar sentiments, noting that the journey, though inherently spiritual and not undertaken for comfort, has been made notably smoother this year.

“When one embarks on a pilgrimage, they do not see the comfort or discomfort. However, this time, the arrangements are very nice and incomparable to the previous years,” a devotee said.

Appreciating the security forces, another Yatri said, “The Indian Army has made our travel easy. They are here for our security. Additionally, the arrangements made by the Centre and the J&K government are really nice.”

Another added, “The Indian Army and the administration have ensured that all the pilgrims are safe and can carry on with this holy Yatra without any concerns. I am thankful for everything.”

The Yatra was officially flagged off by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday from Jammu.

Authorities have implemented an unprecedented security plan following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 civilians were killed by Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists.

To ensure safety, an additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed, supplementing the already extensive security apparatus comprising the Indian Army, paramilitary forces, and J&K Police.

Pilgrims have been strictly advised to travel from Jammu to the Valley only as part of escorted convoys and have been warned against attempting the journey independently.

The Yatra, which concludes on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan, allows pilgrims to approach the sacred cave shrine located at an altitude of 3,888 metres either via the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route.

The Pahalgam trek spans 46 km and takes four days, passing through Chandanwati, Sheshnag, and Panchtarni. The Baltal route, a 14 km trek, allows pilgrims to return to the base camp on the same day.

This year, in light of heightened security, helicopter services for pilgrims have been suspended.

The shrine houses a naturally formed ice stalagmite believed to represent Lord Shiva, which waxes and wanes with the moon phases. Devotees revere the shrine as a powerful symbol of Shiva’s divine presence.

–IANS

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