Braving climate, thousands of devotees go on Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir

Saina Nehwal and her family are among the 1.6 lakh pilgrims to have completed the Amarnath Yatra as of July 13 this year. (File)

The 62-day annual Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage is underway from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district and Baltal in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. The Yatra which commenced on July 1 is scheduled to conclude on August 31, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan and Shravan Purnima. According to officials around 2 lakh devotees have performed the Yatra, an important pilgrimage for Hindus who visit the Amarnath Cave, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva.

How pilgrims reach Amarnath cave shrine

The pilgrims reach the Himalayan cave shrine, 3,888 metres above sea-level, either from the traditional Pahalgam route, which involves an uphill trek of 43 kilometers from the base camp or from central Kashmir’s Baltal base camp which involves a perilous 13 kilometre trek.

The Yatra passes through forests, meadows, snow tracks, mountainous paths, and is considered one of the largest pilgrimages in the world with lakhs of Hindu devotees travelling to the Amarnath cave to pay respects to an ice stalagmite structure that devotees believe symbolizes the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

According to official figures, till July 13, 2023, over 1.6 lakh (1,62,569) pilgrims had visited the cave shrine to perform Darshan.

It is an arduous journey, and pilgrims typically take two-and-a-half days by the 46 kilometres route from Pahalgam, or 5-6 hours via the 14 kilometres Sonamarg Baltal route to the cave shrine.

The enthusiasm of the pilgrims can be seen at base camps, with the pilgrims chanting ‘bam bam bholey’, ‘jai baba barfani’ and ‘jai bole’. The air also resonates with devotional hymns emanating from loudspeakers, interlaced with announcements about lost and found articles.

Significance of Amarnath Yatra

Such is the popularity of the Yatra that despite soaring heat in July and August, devotees across India perform the pilgrimage. This year two Americans from California inspired by Swami Vivekananda also undertook the Yatra in the Valley. The Amarnath Shrine Board shared a video of the two US nationals clad in saffron robes. “After reading about Swami Vivekananda we had a dream to see his journey to Amarnath cave and therefore we decided to perform the Yatra. It is so exciting and a dream come true to be here,” said one of the two foreigners.

Pilgrims usually reach the base camp in vehicles, and then on to the cave shrine on foot or by chopper - with some pilgrims preferring to ride ponies or palanquins (a small bed carried by four people on four sides). However, this year some pilgrims came to the pilgrimage completely on cycle. For example, Narendra Yadav, a pilgrim hailing from the Bhiwani area of Haryana, started his cycle journey to reach the holy cave on July 11.

Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal and her family members also embarked on the holy pilgrimage this year. The first-ever badminton player from India to clinch an Olympic medal Nehwal, while speaking to the media, said: “This is an incredible day for my family and me. I am blessed to have been on the Yatra along with my mother. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the J&K government and the local people for their support during the Yatra.”

Every day we check the weather predictions and decide the next course of action for Yatra accordingly. Since Yatra is taking place in high terrain mountains surrounded by glaciers (Kolahai, Nehnar and Bodpathri), the role of weather becomes pretty crucial.

Pilgrims arriving in Kashmir are greeted by the people left, right and centre. For instance, on July 1 the locals - men, women and children - at Anantnag’s KP road stood side by side, carrying garlands and flowers to welcome the pilgrims.

Similarly, people in Pahalgam lined the streets leading to the Amarnath Yatra base camp and showered the pilgrims with flower petals, offered refreshing drinks, and served traditional Kashmiri delicacies.

In Baltal, local Muslims, the major service providers for the Amarnath pilgrims, eagerly waited outside their kiosks and tents to receive and welcome pilgrims.

Head Priest Mahant Deepinder Giri, who is custodian of the holy mace, and led a group of sadhus carrying the Chhari Mubarak of Lord Shiva during the Yatra, also hailed the cooperation of locals during the pilgrimage “People in Kashmir have always welcomed Amarnath pilgrims with open arms because they are emotionally attached with Yatra. Kashmiris are known for their compassion and hospitality,” Giri said.

On July 3, the saffron robed silver-mace of Lord Shiva, traditionally known as ‘Chhari Mubarak’ was taken to Pahalgam for Bhoomi Pujan ceremony. “Yatra this year is more special because of two ‘Shravan’ months. This great astronomical event is taking place after 19 years,” said Giri.

Arrangements and facilities

According to officials of Jammu and Kashmir administration, pilgrims are provided with security and facilities which includes medical services, accommodations, food, water, and regular helicopter services.

"I have performed Yatra on the first day this year and the facilities are up to the mark. The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), the nodal agency responsible for overseeing the Yatra along with the civil administration, has done commendable job ensuring the safety and security of the pilgrims,” a senior defence official wishing not to be quoted told Moneycontrol.

He added that the Union Territory administration has made the Yatra easier by implementing a registration process through the shrine board and pilgrims are required to register themselves and obtain a Yatra permit before undertaking the pilgrimage.

Gaurav Arora, a pilgrim from Haryana, told Moneycontrol, “I am thrilled about this pilgrimage. It is my 20th time here. Every visit to this holy shrine fills me with inner peace and greater satisfaction. The hospitality shown by the local Muslims has been instrumental and ensured a safe and comfortable journey for the pilgrims.”

Arora, however, lamented the selling of eggs around the cave shrine. “How can shrine board officials become negligent and allow the sale of non-veg items around the cave. I have seen people making omelettes openly due to which the pilgrims get hurt.”

This year, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been given its first-ever assignment to guard the cave shrine. (Photo by GKTambe via Wikimedia Commons)

Tight security for Yatra

In order to provide security to pilgrims, the contingents of police, army, CRPF, SSB, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF and Indian Air Force are deployed in various locations in the Valley. This year, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been given its first-ever assignment to guard the cave shrine.

Teams of police and paramilitary troopers are also deployed along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway where “vulnerable points exist”. The army, on the other hand, has deployed anti-drone equipment at Yatra camps in south and central Kashmir.

So far, Amarnath pilgrims have been attacked by militants twice in the Valley. In 2,000, at least 21 pilgrims were killed, and in 2017, seven pilgrims were gunned down. Following these attacks, the Indian security agencies have repeatedly issued security warnings for pilgrims.

Even last year, The Resistance Front (TRF), a militant outfit according to J&K police, issued a threat ahead of the Amarnath Yatra.

Mountain rescue teams have been deployed for swift evacuation of pilgrims. Telecommunication, CCTV and satellite facilities are also being provided to pilgrims along the entire route.

For the first time, the Border Roads Organisation has been maintaining the routes to the cave shrine. “Every day we check the weather predictions and decide the next course of action for Yatra accordingly. Since Yatra is taking place in high terrain mountains surrounded by glaciers—Kolahai, Nehnar and Bodpathri the role of weather becomes pretty crucial,” a senior official posted in Anantnag told Moneycontrol.

The authorities have also set up a state-of-the-art hospital, equipped with round-the-clock healthcare facilities. Oxygen cylinders, additional medical teams, ambulances, and helicopters have also been placed on standby to swiftly respond to any medical emergencies.

The J&K traffic police department has asked the visiting pilgrims to travel in Kashmir Valley only between 7 am and 6 pm.

A traffic spokesman said that if pilgrims fail to reach Kashmir within the stipulated time, the security forces can make such pilgrims and tourists halt for the night at the nearest lodgement centre.

Dangerous terrain

The rough area around the cave is prone to disasters and the rush of pilgrims has also caused stampedes. For example, in 1996, heavy snowfall, rains and avalanches along the Yatra route left 250 pilgrims dead. Similarly, in 2015, three people were killed and 11 injured after a cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides near the Baltal base camp. Last year, 16 people died and at least three dozen were missing after a cloudburst triggered flash floods near the cave shrine.

Arora said: “There is a huge rush this year around the cave and pilgrims are not released in batches. If the rush of pilgrims is not controlled the stampedes can happen anytime.”

The Yatris help boost the economy of the region, benefiting various sectors ranging from hospitality and transportation, to local businesses and tourism. However, the fragile ecology of the area also gets badly hit due to pollution and road construction projects.

Environmental fallout

Environmental experts have time and again warned that cutting raw fragile mountains in the region can invite nature’s fury, with latest examples being occurrences like land subsidence at Joshimath (Joshimath sinking) and the June 2013 cloud-burst at Kedarnath.

The place is home to the already melting Kolahoi glacier, the main source of the Lidder stream, whose water is used for drinking and agricultural purposes in south Kashmir.

For pilgrims also, the sanctity is often compromised by increased numbers of pilgrims because abnormal increase in footprints can pollute the ecologically fragile area and the sacred stalagmite which has also been shrinking despite the shrine board considering mechanically refrigerating the cave to preserve it.

Since the 1980s, there has been an exponential upswing in the number of pilgrims, growing from 12,000 in 1989 to 3.65 lakh in 2022. Similarly, the Yatra duration increased from 15 days in the 1990s, to 62 days this year.