Farooq Tantary CNI

Jammu, July 8: The sixth batch of the Amarnath Yatra began early Monday morning with over 8,600 pilgrims setting off from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu under tight security. The annual pilgrimage, which started on July 3, has already seen over 70,000 pilgrims visit the holy cave shrine in the Himalayas.

Officials said that 8,605 pilgrims — including 6,486 men, 1,826 women, 42 children, and 251 sadhus — left in two groups between 3:30 am and 4:25 am in 372 vehicles. One group took the shorter but steep Baltal route in Ganderbal, while the other followed the traditional 48-kilometre-long Pahalgam route in Anantnag.

This is the biggest batch of pilgrims since the yatra was flagged off by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on July 2. So far, over 40,000 yatris have left from Jammu for Kashmir as the spiritual journey continues with full enthusiasm.

There is a massive rush at the registration counters in Jammu as thousands arrive daily to register for the yatra. Over 3,000 fresh pilgrims reached Jammu on Sunday alone. To manage the crowd, the authorities have increased both the number of counters and the daily registration quota.

Despite the fear caused by the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam earlier this year, in which 26 people lost their lives, pilgrims remain undeterred. Chanting “Bum Bum Bhole” and “Har Har Mahadev,” devotees expressed strong faith and said they would pray to Lord Shiva to bring peace and an end to terrorism in the region.

More than 3.5 lakh people have registered online so far for the 38-day yatra, which leads to the sacred ice lingam at 3,880 metres. Authorities have also set up 12 counters for on-the-spot registration in Jammu to handle the growing number of pilgrims.

To ensure their safety, 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed in the Jammu division — 30 more than last year. In addition, 34 accommodation centres and 106 lodgement centres have been set up, offering food and shelter to over 50,000 people from Lakhanpur to Banihal.

Pilgrims are also being provided with RFID tags for better tracking and security throughout the yatra route. The administration continues to work round the clock to ensure a smooth and safe experience for all pilgrims undertaking this spiritual journey.