Amarnath Yatra 2025 Commences with 12,348 Devotees Visiting Holy Cave

SRINAGAR: Amid unprecedented security arrangements, the annual Amarnath Yatra commenced on Thursday, with over 12,000 pilgrims paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine nestled in the Himalayas.

Till 7:15 PM, a total of 12,348 pilgrims had paid obeisance. “The devotees included 9,181 males and 2,223 females. The Yatra also saw the participation of 99 children, 122 sadhus, and 7 sadhvis. Additionally, 8 transgender devotees and 708 personnel from security forces visited the cave shrine,” officials said.

Earlier in the morning, the first batch of pilgrims left from the twin base camps, marking a spiritual start to the 38-day-long pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave in the south Kashmir Himalayas.

Pilgrims were flagged off by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri and DC Anantnag from Baltal in central Kashmir and Nunwan (Pahalgam) in south Kashmir, respectively.

Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, also undertook the sacred trek from the Baltal base camp. She joined thousands of pilgrims participating in the spiritual journey through the Himalayas.

Speaking to the media, she said, “Today, we are all going to have the darshan of Bholenath. It feels wonderful. May God bless us all. The atmosphere here is very pleasant, and people are feeling good because development work is also taking place here.”

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, speaking to reporters at one of the camps, said, “This Yatra is not just a religious pilgrimage. From security forces to pitthus, tents to service providers—everyone is contributing to its success. The enthusiasm among the devotees is unparalleled. I pray everyone’s wishes are fulfilled and peace prevails across Kashmir and the country.”

Pilgrims also expressed satisfaction with the arrangements. A devotee at the Pahalgam base camp said, “We are not afraid of terrorism. The facilities are excellent. We are thankful to the Shrine Board.”

A veteran pilgrim from Sangrur, Punjab, said, “This is my 14th Amarnath Yatra. The arrangements get better each time. There’s no need to rush—everything is well-managed.”

To ensure the smooth conduct of the Yatra, a three-tier security grid has been implemented, with thousands of security personnel deployed along the route. In addition to conventional measures, AI-powered CCTV surveillance systems are monitoring key locations for real-time threat detection.

Meanwhile, the second batch of 5,246 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on Thursday morning.

The batch included 4,074 males, 795 females, 19 children, 324 sadhus, 33 sadhvis, and one transgender pilgrim. Of these, 1,993 pilgrims are headed to Baltal and 3,253 to Pahalgam.

A fleet of 268 vehicles — including 106 buses, 38 medium motor vehicles (MMVs), and 124 light motor vehicles (LMVs) — has been deployed for transportation.

On Wednesday, the first batch of 5,485 Yatris was flagged off from the Jammu base camp by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Upon arrival in the Kashmir Valley, the pilgrims received a warm welcome from the Administration and locals.

The Yatra, which began Thursday, will conclude on August 9.

Pilgrims from across the country undertake the Amarnath Yatra to pay obeisance at the holy cave shrine that houses a naturally formed ice Shivlingam. (KNO)