Amarnath Yatra resumes after 6-day suspension; pilgrims praise security officials, administration
Jammu, July 25 : As the annual Shri Amarnath Yatra resumed on Saturday after being suspended for six days due to continuous heavy rainfall, devotees expressed joy at the resumption of the pilgrimage and appreciated the efforts of the administration and security agencies in ensuring their safety and comfort.
The 18th batch of pilgrims undertaking the Shri Amarnath Yatra via the Baltal route departed from the Adhar Shivir Ram Mandir in Jammu for the darshan of Baba Barfani.
The pilgrimage had been temporarily suspended by the administration owing to adverse weather conditions to ensure the safety of devotees and prevent any untoward incidents.
Despite the prolonged suspension of the yatra, the enthusiasm and devotion of the pilgrims remained unaffected. Many, speaking to IANS, said that they were determined to continue their journey as soon as the routes reopened.
Expressing happiness over the resumption of the pilgrimage, one devotee said, "I am very happy after the resumption. I have never felt this happy in my life. People were stranded here for the past 6–7 days."
Another pilgrim, who was visiting the shrine for the first time, said the difficult weather had not weakened his resolve to seek blessings.
"I have come here for the first time actually. I just wanted to see Baba and have a darshan and then be back. No matter how much it rains, I am determined to have a darshan," the devotee said.
A pilgrim undertaking the yatra for the third time also praised the arrangements made for the annual pilgrimage and lauded the role of the security forces.
"I have been here twice; this is my third time. I am very happy. All the arrangements are nice, and our security forces are always there to protect us," the devotee said.
Another first-time pilgrim said he had reached Jammu on July 19 and had decided to wait until the pilgrimage resumed instead of returning without offering prayers.
"The administration has made very good arrangements here, because of which we have stayed back. We will leave only after having the darshan of Baba Bhole; we have made this resolve in our hearts," the pilgrim said.
Several devotees also praised the arrangements made by the Jammu and Kashmir administration, saying they had been provided with all essential facilities during their stay despite the temporary suspension of the pilgrimage.
"The more we praise the administration, the less it seems. We never felt that we had left our hometown and come to another region. The administration has provided all kinds of facilities and amenities to the pilgrims," they said.
The pilgrims further said that although they could not proceed towards the Valley because of the inclement weather, the administration ensured that their stay in Jammu remained comfortable by guiding them to various tourist and religious destinations in the region.
"The administration also arranged buses at several locations, enabling them to visit major religious and tourist destinations across Jammu," a pilgrim said.
The Shri Amarnath Yatra had been suspended on July 19 from both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes following persistent rainfall and adverse weather conditions across the Kashmir Valley.
So far, more than 3.7 lakh devotees have offered prayers at the holy cave shrine during the ongoing 57-day pilgrimage, which is scheduled to conclude on August 28.
The 18th batch of pilgrims undertaking the Shri Amarnath Yatra via the Baltal route departed from the Adhar Shivir Ram Mandir in Jammu for the darshan of Baba Barfani.
The pilgrimage had been temporarily suspended by the administration owing to adverse weather conditions to ensure the safety of devotees and prevent any untoward incidents.
Despite the prolonged suspension of the yatra, the enthusiasm and devotion of the pilgrims remained unaffected. Many, speaking to IANS, said that they were determined to continue their journey as soon as the routes reopened.
Expressing happiness over the resumption of the pilgrimage, one devotee said, "I am very happy after the resumption. I have never felt this happy in my life. People were stranded here for the past 6–7 days."
Another pilgrim, who was visiting the shrine for the first time, said the difficult weather had not weakened his resolve to seek blessings.
"I have come here for the first time actually. I just wanted to see Baba and have a darshan and then be back. No matter how much it rains, I am determined to have a darshan," the devotee said.
A pilgrim undertaking the yatra for the third time also praised the arrangements made for the annual pilgrimage and lauded the role of the security forces.
"I have been here twice; this is my third time. I am very happy. All the arrangements are nice, and our security forces are always there to protect us," the devotee said.
Another first-time pilgrim said he had reached Jammu on July 19 and had decided to wait until the pilgrimage resumed instead of returning without offering prayers.
"The administration has made very good arrangements here, because of which we have stayed back. We will leave only after having the darshan of Baba Bhole; we have made this resolve in our hearts," the pilgrim said.
Several devotees also praised the arrangements made by the Jammu and Kashmir administration, saying they had been provided with all essential facilities during their stay despite the temporary suspension of the pilgrimage.
"The more we praise the administration, the less it seems. We never felt that we had left our hometown and come to another region. The administration has provided all kinds of facilities and amenities to the pilgrims," they said.
The pilgrims further said that although they could not proceed towards the Valley because of the inclement weather, the administration ensured that their stay in Jammu remained comfortable by guiding them to various tourist and religious destinations in the region.
"The administration also arranged buses at several locations, enabling them to visit major religious and tourist destinations across Jammu," a pilgrim said.
The Shri Amarnath Yatra had been suspended on July 19 from both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes following persistent rainfall and adverse weather conditions across the Kashmir Valley.
So far, more than 3.7 lakh devotees have offered prayers at the holy cave shrine during the ongoing 57-day pilgrimage, which is scheduled to conclude on August 28.
