Over 7,200 Pilgrims Embark on Amarnath Yatra Amid Heavy Rains

Pilgrimage Continues Despite Weather Challenges

Jammu: In the face of persistent rainfall, a new group of over 7,200 devotees departed from the base camp early Sunday, heading towards the Amarnath shrine located in the southern Kashmir Himalayas, according to officials.

The annual pilgrimage, which commenced on July 3, has now seen participation exceed 50,000 as of Sunday.

This fifth group, consisting of 7,208 individuals, included 1,587 women and 30 children, and they set off in two separate convoys between 3:35 am and 4:15 am under strict security measures, officials reported.

This batch marks the largest since the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha initiated the yatra on Wednesday.

To date, a total of 31,736 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp towards the valley.

The first convoy, carrying 3,199 pilgrims in 147 vehicles, took the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, while the second convoy, consisting of 4,009 pilgrims in 160 vehicles, opted for the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district, as per officials.

Despite heavy rainfall that affected large areas of Jammu overnight, the pilgrims persevered.

Since the yatra began on July 3, over 50,000 devotees have visited the Amarnath cave shrine, which is situated at an altitude of 3,880 meters.

The pilgrimage continues with enhanced security measures, following the tragic attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that resulted in 26 fatalities.

The Bhagwati Nagar base camp is now under a comprehensive security framework in light of the April incident.

So far, more than 350,000 individuals have registered online for the pilgrimage. Thirty-four accommodation centers have been established throughout Jammu, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are being distributed to the pilgrims. Additionally, twelve counters have been set up for on-the-spot registration.