Jammu and Kashmir: Amarnath Yatra Temporarily Suspended Due to Rain

New Delhi: The Amarnath Yatra has been temporarily suspended from both Pahalgam and Baltal routes to holy cave on Saturday due to heavy rainfall.  Heavy rainfall lashed the holy cave and nearby areas, leaving the tracks slippery. The temporary base camp at Chanderkot in Ramban has been activated for Jammu region pilgrims. 

The holy pilgrimage will resume when the weather improves and track's slippery conditions get back to normal. The yatra was halted as a precautionary measure due to heavy rainfall. Intermittent heavy rainfall has been seen along the Baltal and Pahalgam routes since last night. 

So far, over 1.50 lakh devotees have visited the 3,800-metre-high cave shrine and had 'darshan' of the naturally formed ice lingam. The holy shrine is located at an altitude of 12,756 feet above sea level. 

52-Day-long Annual Pilgrimage

The 52-day-long annual pilgrimage, that began on June 29, will conclude on August 19. The online registrations for the yatra commenced on April 15 on Shri Amarnath Shrine Board's (SASB) website and portal. According to reports, more than 3.50 lakh devotees have registered for the yatra this year. The administration has set up comprehensive arrangements, including three-tier security, area dominations, elaborate route deployment and checkpoints, to ensure a smooth pilgrimage.

125 Community Kitchens Set Up  

As many as 125 community kitchens (langars) staffed by over 6,000 volunteers has been set up to serve the pilgrims along the two routes to the cave shrine. The annual Amarnath Yatra commences on twin tracks – one is the traditional 48-km-long Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the second route is 14-km-long shorter but steep Baltal route in Ganderbal district.

The holy pilgrimage witnesses lakhs of pilgrims every year who visit the site during the 'Shravani Mela in July-August (Shravan month in Hindu calendar).