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 start of the annual pilgrimage amid a multi-tier security cover. The 57-day journey to the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine is scheduled to begin on July 3 and will conclude on August 28.
Pilgrims Depart for Twin Base Camps
Over 5,000 pilgrims left in a convoy of escorted vehicles for the twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal in Kashmir. The yatra proceeds via the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district. Chants of “Bam Bam Bhole”, “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Barfani Baba Ki” filled the air as the convoy departed.
Flag-Off Ceremony and Security Arrangements
Sinha performed a special puja at the high-security Bhagwati Nagar base camp before flagging off the convoy. He was accompanied 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. 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.
Pilgrims Praise Arrangements
Pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the arrangements. Suresh Kumar from Surat, on his first pilgrimage, praised the facilities and assistance provided by the administration and the Army. Baba Goga Nath of Junagarh Akhara described the journey as a blessing and lauded the arrangements for seers and devotees. Another seer, Sukham Dass, who arrived with 20 sadhus from Kashi and has been undertaking the pilgrimage for 32 years, said facilities for the elderly and specially abled pilgrims have significantly improved. Vaibhav, a pilgrim from Uttarakhand, expressed confidence in the security arrangements. Rajni Devi from Jaipur, a nine-time pilgrim, said there was no reason to fear as security forces were safeguarding the yatra.
Registration and Traffic Management
Officials said more than 3.90 lakh devotees have registered for this year’s pilgrimage, and on-the-spot registration has commenced in Jammu. The convoy was escorted under heavy security, with traffic restrictions and area domination measures enforced along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. A traffic official said restrictions will remain on various highway stretches from July 2 to August 28, with daily advisories and sector-wise cut-off timings to regulate traffic. The Jammu region has been placed under an extensive security grid with multi-layered deployment and technology-based surveillance.
Political Leaders Greet Pilgrims
BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma termed the Amarnath Yatra one of the country’s most significant pilgrimages and expressed confidence it would conclude smoothly. Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma greeted the pilgrims and said the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board’s arrangements would ensure a comfortable journey.
