The convoy carrying 3,600 pilgrims had early this morning left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here to undertake the annual Amarnath Yatra and offer prayers at the holy cave shrine.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said the rising turnout for this year's Amarnath Yatra reflects growing faith in the pilgrimage and offers fresh impetus to Jammu and Kashmir tourism sector, while reviewing pilgrim facilities in Srinagar.
The deceased, identified as Manoj Batra, had travelled to Jammu and Kashmir for the Yatra.
Amid rain and cold weather, the annual Amarnath Yatra commenced early morning on Friday, with the first batches of pilgrims leaving the twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan for the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. The mountainous cave shrine houses a naturally formed ice lingam.
The 57-day Amarnath Yatra 2026 has commenced with the first batches of pilgrims setting out from Baltal and Pahalgam under elaborate security, digital surveillance and extensive logistical arrangements.
Mahant Deependra Giri, custodian of the holy mace is leading the ‘Chhari Mubarak’ that is carried by a group of Sadhus towards the cave shrine.
The Amarnath Yatra will remain suspended from 3 August onwards from both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes due to damage to the tracks caused by heavy rains.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed gratitude to all stakeholders involved in the arrangement of the ongoing Holy Shri Amarnath Yatra after it crossed the figure of 4 lakh pilgrims paying obeisance at the mountain cave shrine was reached on Thursday.
No convoy of Yatris will move from Jammu to Kashmir on Thursday, as the Amarnath Yatra has been suspended for the day due to heavy rain.
As part of the annual Swami Amarnath Ji Yatra 2025, the sacred Chhari-Mubarak (Holy Mace) of Swami Amarnath Ji, led by Mahant Deependra Giri, was on Friday taken to the ancient Sharika-Bhawani Temple at Hari Parvat in Srinagar to pay obeisance to the Goddess on the auspicious occasion of Shravan Shukla Paksha Pratipada, in accordance with the long-standing tradition.
