Daijiworld Media Network – Jammu
Jammu, Jul 2: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday flagged off the first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu, marking the commencement of the annual pilgrimage under a multi-layered security cover.
More than 5,000 pilgrims departed in escorted convoys for the twin base camps at Pahalgam and Baltal in Kashmir ahead of the 57-day pilgrimage, which begins on July 3 and concludes on August 28.
The pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine will proceed simultaneously via the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
Before flagging off the convoy, Sinha performed a special puja at the high-security Bhagwati Nagar base camp. He was joined by Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, local BJP legislators, senior civil and police officials, and representatives of various religious organisations.
As devotees chanted "Bam Bam Bhole", "Har Har Mahadev" and "Jai Barfani Baba Ki", the convoy left for Kashmir amid elaborate security arrangements.
In a post on X, Sinha said, "Har Har Mahadev! The sacred journey to the holy abode of Baba Barfani begins. Flagged off the first batch of pilgrims for Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026 from Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp. Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra is a profound spiritual awakening."
He wished the pilgrims a safe and spiritually fulfilling journey, saying every step on the sacred route reflected unwavering faith and devotion to Lord Shiva.
Pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made by the administration and security agencies.
Suresh Kumar from Surat, undertaking the pilgrimage for the first time, praised the facilities provided by the administration and the Army. Baba Goga Nath of Junagarh Akhara described the yatra as a blessing and appreciated the arrangements for seers and devotees.
Sukham Dass, a seer from Kashi who has undertaken the pilgrimage for the past 32 years, said facilities for elderly and specially abled pilgrims had improved significantly.
Vaibhav from Uttarakhand said he was delighted to be part of the first batch and expressed confidence in the security arrangements, while Rajni Devi from Jaipur, a regular pilgrim, also commended the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board and the administration for the arrangements.
Officials said the convoy was escorted under heavy security, with traffic restrictions and area domination measures enforced along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway to ensure the safe movement of pilgrims.
Traffic restrictions will remain in force on various stretches of the highway from July 2 to August 28, with daily advisories and sector-wise cut-off timings issued to regulate vehicular movement.
More than 3.90 lakh devotees have registered for this year's pilgrimage, while on-the-spot registration has also begun in Jammu.
Authorities said the Jammu region has been placed under a comprehensive security grid with multi-layered deployment and technology-based surveillance to ensure the smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage.