12,168 pay obeisance; admin urges registration
GANDERBAL, ANANTNAG, JULY 03: The Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 commenced today with the ceremonial flagging-off of the first batch of pilgrims from the Baltal Base Camp in Ganderbal district amid an atmosphere of devotion and enthusiasm.
The flag-off ceremony was led by Rahul Yadav, Managing Director, J&K Power Development Corporation and Nodal Officer for the Baltal Axis, along with Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ganderbal, Jatin Kishore; Deputy Inspector General of Police (Armed) Kashmir, Maqsood-ul-Zaman; Senior Superintendent of Police Ganderbal, Sudhanshu Dhama, besides officers from the Civil and Police Administration.
On the occasion, the officers extended their best wishes to the pilgrims and prayed for a safe, peaceful and spiritually fulfilling pilgrimage.
The Baltal Base Camp resonated with chants of “Bam Bam Bhole” and “Har Har Mahadev” as devotees including men, women, elderly pilgrims and sadhus, began their onward journey to the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Amarnath Ji.
The commencement of the Yatra marks the beginning of one of the country’s most revered spiritual pilgrimages and reflects the coordinated efforts of the administration and all stakeholder departments to facilitate a secure, seamless and memorable pilgrimage experience for every devotee.
Amid jubilance and devotional fervor, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anantnag (Yatra Officer), Dr. Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat and Senior Superintendent of Police, Amod Ashok Nagpure, jointly flagged off the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026 along the Pahalgam Axis in the wee hours today from the Nunwan Base Camp, Pahalgam.
Camp Director Atul Kumar, SDM Pahalgam, Additional Camp Directors, and senior officers from the police and line departments were present during the flag-off ceremony.
Following their departure from the Nunwan Base Camp, the pilgrims were ferried in vehicles to Chandanwari via a special shuttle service provided by the Motor Vehicles (MV) Department.
To ensure a blissful and enriching spiritual experience for the Yatris, adequate arrangements have been put in place at various camps, stations and places of importance enroute the Holy Cave. All essential facilities will be provided to the pilgrims during the pilgrimage period so that it is conducted in a smooth, and successful manner. Besides, service augmentation and other necessary safety and security measures along the track were planned and executed in advance.
The Yatris expressed their satisfaction with the overall arrangements and were highly motivated as they began their spiritual journey to the Holy Cave.
A total of 12,168 pilgrims paid obeisance at the Holy Cave Shrine on the opening day of the annual Amarnath Yatra on Friday, as the pilgrimage commenced from the twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam), while the second batch of 3,865 pilgrims left Jammu for Kashmir under elaborate security arrangements.
The pilgrimage began in the early hours from both the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route and the shorter 14-km Baltal route despite intermittent rainfall.
They said pilgrims, including men, women and sadhus, started their journey towards the 3,880-metre-high Holy Cave Shrine amid chants of “Bum Bum Bhole” after being flagged off by the respective Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police from the two base camps.
According to officials, 12,168 persons performed darshan at the Holy Cave till 7:00 pm on Friday. The figure includes 9,354 male pilgrims, 2,250 female pilgrims, 219 children, 71 sadhus, nine transgender devotees and 265 security personnel.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir administration issued an advisory urging devotees to undertake the pilgrimage only after completing advance registration and to strictly adhere to their allotted travel dates.
The administration said that in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court, a daily ceiling has been fixed on the number of pilgrims permitted on the Yatra routes to ensure the safety of devotees and the smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage.
Officials said advance registration had been made available well before the commencement of the Yatra through designated bank branches across the country and online platforms, with a majority of pilgrims already availing the facility.
The administration clarified that the Tatkal or on-the-spot registration facility has only limited slots and cannot accommodate thousands of unregistered pilgrims arriving in Jammu and Kashmir. Devotees without prior registration have been requested to wait for their allotted date and travel only as per the schedule issued by the authorities.
The advisory further noted that several registered pilgrims have been reaching Jammu and Kashmir before their scheduled travel dates. Authorities reiterated that no pilgrim would be allowed to proceed on the Yatra before the date mentioned on the registration slip.
The administration assured that every registered devotee would get an opportunity to undertake the Yatra in accordance with the prescribed procedure and the daily carrying capacity. Pilgrims have been urged to maintain discipline, cooperate with the authorities and follow all guidelines for the safe and orderly conduct of the pilgrimage.
