Amarnath yatra gets underway

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 1

Amidst chanting of Vedic mantras and ‘Bam Bam Bhole’, the first batch of 1,282 pilgrims, including 144 sadhus, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in 33 vehicles escorted by the security forces early on Friday morning for the holy shrine of Shri Amarnath in south Kashmir.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh along with Member of Parliament Jugal Kishore, Minister of State for Education Priya Sethi, along with senior government officials flagged off the first batch of the annual yatra. They performed the traditional pooja before the flag-off.

The batch comprising 900 men, 225 women, 13 children, 143 sadhus and one sadhvi, in 27 buses and 6 LMVs left the Jammu base camp for Chandanwari in Pehalgam and Baltal base camps.

After flagging off the first batch, the Deputy CM said, “All necessary arrangements of security, basic amenities, medical facilities and other things have been done for the smooth conduct of the yatra.”

“Security of the pilgrims is the main concern for the government, but I think the situation has improved in the state and all pilgrims are safe in Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

Pilgrims of the first batch started their journey on Friday from Jammu with dance on the bhajans of Lord Shiva.

Karuna, a college student from Ghaziabad, said, “I am visiting the shrine for the first time and am excited to reach there and have the blessings of Baba Barfani (Ice Lingam).”

Many of the pilgrims are visiting the shrine for the first time, but there were dozens of pilgrims who are regulars.

“I am coming here for the seventh time and will keep coming till Lord Shiva blesses me with health. This time four new people of my locality have joined me and now we are 15 people in our group,” said Kamal Kumar from Gwalior.

“There is no fear in our mind and the true disciple of Lord Shiva need not worry of anything. Bhole baba will take care of us,” he added.

Briefing about the security arrangements of the pilgrims, Sunil Gupta, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jammu, said, “We have deployed sufficient number of troops for the security of the pilgrims. Special attention has been given to the highway and yatri niwas and all yatra-related activities are under the strict vigil of the security forces.”

The Amarnath Yatra, which was flagged off from Jammu will commence from Chandanwari and Baltal in south Kashmir on the auspicious day of Purshotam Purnima on Saturday and will conclude on August 18 on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan).