Latest news with #ShriAmarnathShrineBoard
Hans India
5 days ago
- Hans India
Amarnath yatra: 'Chhari Mubarak' begins journey to cave shrine
The final leg of the Amarnath yatra began on Monday as Mahant Deependra Giri took out the 'Chhari Mubarak', sacred mace of Lord Shiva, from its abode at Dashnami Akhara Temple for its journey to the cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas. Custodian of the Chhari Mubarak Mahant Giri, accompanied by several sadhus, took out the holy mace early in the morning from the Dashnami Akhara Temple at Budshah Chowk here, under tight security. "The holy mace will reach Pahalgam tonight and stay there for two nights followed by a night halt at Chandwari on August 6, Sheshnag on August 7 and Panjtarni on August 8 before reaching the holy cave on August 9 which will mark the culmination of the yatra as per scriptures," he said. The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board on Saturday ended the month-long yatra, one week ahead of the scheduled end, saying the tracks leading to the holy cave needed repairs after being damaged due to heavy rains recently. More than 4.13 lakh pilgrims performed the annual yatra this year. Giri expressed satisfaction at the large number of pilgrims coming for the yatra this year but urged the authorities to take steps to ensure that the pilgrims can perform the yatra right up to Shravan Purnima, which falls on Raksha Bandhan every year.
India.com
6 days ago
- India.com
Bad news for devotees as Amarnath Yatra suspended a week before scheduled end, reason is...
Amarnath Yatra 2025 Amarnath Yatra: The annual Amarnath Yatra has been suspended from Sunday, nearly a week ahead of its scheduled conclusion on August 9, which was to coincide with the festival of Raksha Bandhan. Authorities cited persistent adverse weather conditions and the deteriorating condition of the Yatra tracks as the main reasons behind the early closure. The pilgrimage had already been temporarily halted three days ago due to heavy rainfall in the region. On Saturday, officials announced that the Yatra would not resume from either of the two traditional routes, Baltal or Pahalgam, due to the unsafe condition of the tracks and the need for urgent repair work. According to Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, the terrain has been severely affected by recent downpours, rendering the route unsafe for pilgrims. He stated that both routes required immediate repair and maintenance, and continuing the Yatra while deploying men and machinery for those repairs was not feasible. Despite the premature conclusion, around four lakh pilgrims managed to visit the revered cave shrine this year, according to figures from the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. However, officials acknowledged that the number of pilgrims had sharply declined in the past week, likely due to weather-related disruptions. Security for this year's Yatra was heightened significantly in the wake of a major terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The government deployed over 600 additional paramilitary companies in addition to existing forces, making it one of the most heavily guarded pilgrimages in the country. Pilgrims were moved in tightly monitored convoys from Jammu to the twin base camps, and civilian movement was halted during convoy hours along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. The Amarnath Yatra, which traces its roots to the discovery of the cave in the 1850s by a Muslim shepherd named Bota Malik, has historically been seen as a symbol of Kashmir's syncretic culture. Until 2005, the Malik family was responsible for organising the pilgrimage before the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board took over. However, recent years have seen reduced interaction between yatris and the local population, as stringent security arrangements have confined most pilgrims within heavily guarded enclosures. Residents note that only those directly involved in the Yatra, such as pony handlers and palanquin bearers, still maintain regular contact with the pilgrims.
NDTV
7 days ago
- NDTV
Amarnath Yatra Suspended From Tomorrow, A Week Before It Was To End
Srinagar: The annual Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir closed a week before it was to end. Officials cited adverse weather conditions and its impact on the yatra route as the reason for ending the Yatra prematurely. While Yatra, which was to end on August 9 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, was suspended three days ago citing weather conditions, the administration today announced that yatra will not resume from tomorrow. "Due to the recent heavy rains, critical repair and maintenance works are required on both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes. It has been observed that due to the continued deployment of men and machinery on the tracks from tomorrow, we will not be able to resume Yatra. The Yatra will therefore remain suspended from 3rd August onwards from both the routes," said Mr Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir. According to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, around 4 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the holy cave this year even as the number of yatris have witnessed a sharp decline in last one week. This year, the government made highest troop deployment for the Yatra in the wake of a major terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. Besides an existing overwhelming security structure in Kashmir, about 600 additional companies of paramilitary forces were brought in for Yatra duty. The discovery of the cave dates back to 1850 when Bota Malik, a Muslim shepherd is said to have found it with naturally formed ice stalagmite inside it. Since then, Malik family conducted the Yatra till 2005, when the Amarnath Shrine Board put an end to the age-old practice. The Yatra has been symbol of Kashmir's syncretic culture. But over the last few years, strict security measures around Yatra have reduced the contact between local population and yatris. Locals say except those who are directly involved in Yatra, like horse handlers or palanquin bearers who carry Yatris to cave shrine, Yatris are confined to security enclosures. Yatris are being transported in heavily guarded convoys from Jammu. As part of the security protocol, during convoy movement along the Srinagar-Jammu highway or the road upto twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal, no civilian vehicles are allowed to move.
The Hindu
31-07-2025
- The Hindu
Held in backdrop of Pahalgam terror attack, Amarnath yatra crosses four lakh mark
The annual Amarnath yatra, which this year followed the backdrop of a terror attack near its traditional route in Pahalgam, on Thursday (July 31, 2025) crossed the four lakh mark in terms of pilgrims who paid obeisance at the cave shrine situated at an altitude of 14,000 feet. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha, who also serves as chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, termed the turnout 'a miracle'. 'As Baba Amarnath makes the impossible possible. I bow to Lord Shiva for this miracle and express my gratitude to everyone involved in making the holy pilgrimage a divine experience for devotees,' Mr. Sinha said. He extended his thanks to all stakeholders, including local Muslim service providers and doctors, for their contribution in organising the yatra this year. 'The record number of 'darshans' and arrival of devotees from across the country and the globe is a testament to India's unity and its resolve to overcome the challenges,' Mr. Sinha added. On April 22, twenty-six civilians were killed in an attack by three terrorists at Baisaran meadow in the Pahalgam valley of Anantnag district - just five kilometres from the yatra route. The incident had impacted the region's tourism sector and raised concerns over potential low turnout for the pilgrimage. 'I am truly thankful to the devotees, who have shown immense faith and strengthened our priceless spiritual heritage,' the Lieutenant-Governor said. He described the pilgrimage as a 'godly expedition' that is incomparable not just for being arduous, but for offering an 'inimitable journey into pure bliss'. 'It's a spiritual experience and gives an opportunity to devotees to know themselves and offers deep trust and fills their hearts with infinite gratitude,' he said. The yatra witnessed its highest turnout in 2011 and 2012, when 6.34 lakh and 6.22 lakh pilgrims, respectively, visited the cave shrine. The shrine can be accessed via two routes - a 40-km-long path from the Pahalgam base camp and a shorter 13-km trek from Baltal in Ganderbal district.
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Indian Express
Yatris are hurrying to Amarnath: ‘Weather getting unpredictable… Shivling melting faster'
Sanket Yadav from Jaipur and his group of 12 make their way to the inner sanctum, towards the rapidly shrinking ice stalagmite shielded by a silver trident and encircled by steel railings. After their brief 'darshan', they exit quickly, retrieve their mobile phones and bags, and prepare for the descent. Speaking to his relatives on the phone, Yadav warns that the ice inside is melting fast. 'Aap dekh lijiye aana hai toh (Please see if you want to come),' he said. At the Amarnath Yatra this year, the ice Shivling at the pinnacle of the pilgrim's journey — formed naturally by dripping water freezing in layers — has been receding amid a blistering heatwave scorching the Kashmir Valley. And, it is this shifting climate that has stunned pilgrims, local workers and even seasoned security personnel in a season marked by the looming memory of the Pahalgam terror attack. Officials at the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board say they no longer attempt to predict how long the Shivling will last. 'Every year, the Shivling melts faster,' a senior board member said. 'Years ago, it would remain till August. The climate is unpredictable — heavy rain, sudden spikes in temperature. We can't forecast what will happen. This will impact the Yatra in the future. We can only improve facilities, not change the weather,' the member said. The Shivling usually begins forming during the Hindu month of Shravan (July-August). But in recent years, its disappearance has become a barometer of the region's climate distress. In 2018, it melted by July 27, just 29 days after forming. In 2019, the yatra was canceled due to terror threats. In 2020, it formed by mid-June and had melted 80 per cent by July 23, lasting 38 days. The pandemic forced another cancellation in 2021. In 2022, it lasted only till July 18 — 28 days. In 2023, it endured 47 days, melting by August 17. But in 2024, it vanished in just a week, by July 6. In 2022, former BSF Inspector General (Kashmir) Raja Babu Singh oversaw security on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes.'During my stint, I saw that snowfall had gone down in that region. The yatra route used to be a virgin land. Now there is heavy footfall of the armed forces, movement of helicopters, and footfall of lakhs of pilgrims. This has had an impact on the surrounding environment, coupled with the impact of global warming,' he said. One of the highest points on the route, Mahagunas Top (14,000 feet), lies beyond Sheshnag. According to pilgrims, this is where Lord Shiva left his son Ganesha before ascending to the cave. Now, it looks nothing like the myths. Asha Singh and her husband Anil scan the bare mountains with quiet grief. 'Inner, full sleeve clothes, thermal jacket, boots, cap and gloves. This whole landscape used to be covered in snow,' Asha said, recalling her gear a decade ago. 'Now I am doing this trek in a saree.' The descent from Mahagunas Top to Panchtarni was once a vista of shimmering snow peaks. Now it is a trail of barren mounds. 'Our mountains are now naked, there is no snow. It hasn't rained here in two months, we have only dust,' said Riyaz, astride a tall black horse named Sultan. Prof Irfan Rashid of Kashmir University's Department of Geo-informatics has been studying Kashmir's glaciers for years now. 'There are five known glaciers in the region, along with areas of permafrost. If you trek towards the Amarnath cave, you will still find glaciers, but they are in a state of retreat,' he said. Rashid explains that while satellite images provide some insight, there's a vacuum in on-ground studies. 'We are considering initiating a formal study this year, but currently, there is no systematic research on how these glaciers are responding to climate change. The last detailed geolocation surveys in this region were conducted in the 1980s by the Government,' he said. He adds that the phenomenon is regional. 'Across the western Himalayas in Kashmir, over a hundred glaciers are retreating, their mass and area are shrinking. The meltwater eventually flows into rivers, but with less snow and ice, the long-term impact on water availability and agriculture will be severe,' Rashid said. Iqbal Chaudhary, former Director of Agriculture in Kashmir, warns of the agricultural fallout. 'Over time, we have seen increasing soil erosion, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events like cloudbursts and torrential rains that delay or destroy crops. There is very little snowfall now along the Yatra route. Earlier, when we went on the pilgrimage, glaciers were intact, Baba Barfani stood tall, and the natural ecosystem was alive. That's changing fast. The government is trying to intervene, but what's really needed is long-term sustainability planning,' he said. Indeed, what was once a pebbled path running beside glacial streams, from Panchtarni to the cave, is now lined with solar-powered streetlights and rest stops. Earth excavators rumble beside pilgrims, carving rough cuts into the mountainside. Electrical cables sprout from the soil, following yatris toward the shrine. But the road has also become a dust corridor. The Baltal route, especially, has turned into a 14-km stretch of swirling powder. Face masks are now as essential as trekking poles. Winds whip sand into the eyes, ears and throats of pilgrims. 'The local people are all from Anantnag and we all depend on this yatra for our livelihood. If it would have rained, the dust would not be blowing this time. I have a constant cough and my customers also get sick,' said Shoaib, a palkiwala who charges Rs 5,000 for a ride to the cave. After their darshan, the pilgrims descend via the Baltal route. As rains suddenly break out, cheers erupt from the crowd. Most of them scramble for shelter as the dusty path turns to sludge, and darkness closes in. At dawn in the Baltal base camp, rocks lie strewn across the path, flung loose by the storm. Another batch of pilgrims begins its ascent. Meena, part of a nine-member group from UP's Sultanpur, steps forward with determination. 'We heard Baba Barfani is going to go in a few days. We will see him today itself,' she says before vanishing into the mist draping the mountains.
