Offline Registration Begins for Amarnath Yatra
Offline registration for the annual Shri Amarnath Yatra commenced on Wednesday, drawing hundreds of devotees to designated centres in Jammu. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is scheduled to flag off the first batch of pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp on Thursday.
Yatra Routes and Schedule
The 57-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre high Amarnath cave shrine is set to begin on July 3 from two routes: the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district. Approximately four lakh pilgrims have already registered online for the Yatra.
Devotees Brave Rain to Register
Overnight rain, which brought pleasant weather to Jammu, did not dampen the spirits of pilgrims who queued up outside registration centres from early morning to obtain passes. On-the-spot registration for token holders began Wednesday morning, while token distribution continued for a second consecutive day for pilgrims arriving from across the country.
Counters for registration and token distribution have been set up at the Tawi riverfront near the Jammu artificial lake, Geeta Bhawan, Ram Mandir, and Bhagwati Nagar. The first batch of pilgrims will be flagged off from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp early Thursday.
Devotee Stories: Sandhu Ram Kishan
Among the devotees was Sandhu Ram Kishan, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, whose distinctive appearance drew attention. With coins from different countries attached to a Rudraksha covering his head and chest, Kishan said his attire reflected his unwavering faith in Lord Shiva. "Without Rudra, nothing happens," Kishan told PTI. He added that he undertook a 'Maun Vrat' for 14 years and had been visiting the cave since 2006. He described the Rudraksha as a source of spiritual strength and said he was visiting the shrine with the hope of seeing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath become the prime minister of the country.
Chants and Devotion at Registration Centres
The registration centres resonated with chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Bam Bam Bhole' as devotees waited patiently for their turn. Anushka, part of a six-member family group from Pune, said she had long aspired to undertake the pilgrimage, drawing inspiration from her father who has been making the annual pilgrimage for the past 10 years. "My father will turn 70 next year and may not be able to continue the Yatra for long. He never allowed us to accompany him, saying it was a very arduous pilgrimage. But now we are here and we are determined to complete the Yatra together," she said.
Devotee Feedback on Arrangements
Neelu Sangani from Rajasthan, accompanied by her parents, said nothing mattered more than having the opportunity to pay obeisance at the cave shrine. Her father, Chander Shekhar, praised the arrangements made by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board and the administration, saying the facilities enabled devotees to obtain tokens without any difficulty.
However, Jitendra Giri from Uttar Pradesh was not impressed with the arrangements. "People are jostling in the queues, while the barbed-wire barricades are also causing inconvenience. The authorities should improve crowd management so that the pilgrims, especially the elderly, do not face hardships while waiting for their turn," he said.
Officials Oversee Arrangements
Senior civil and police officers, including Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Minhas, and SSP Joginder Singh, visited the registration counters to oversee arrangements and review crowd management measures. The officials also interacted with pilgrims and directed the persons concerned to ensure hassle-free registration, orderly token distribution, and adequate public facilities.
Weather Update
According to the local weather office, Jammu recorded 35.8 mm of rainfall during the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on Wednesday, bringing down the minimum temperature to 23.3 degrees Celsius, 2.7 notches below the season's average.
