JAMMU, July 26, 2025: A fresh batch of over 2,300 pilgrims embarked on the sacred Amarnath Yatra on Saturday, leaving the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu to offer prayers at the 3,880-meter-high Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials reported. This marks the 24th batch of pilgrims for the ongoing 38-day pilgrimage, which commenced on July 3, 2025. However, the number of visitors has been declining in recent days due to the melting of the naturally formed ice-shivlingam, a central attraction of the yatra.
The group of 2,324 pilgrims, including 377 women and 51 sadhus and sadhvis, departed from the Jammu base camp in 92 vehicles between 3:25 AM and 3:45 AM, escorted by police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel for enhanced security. The batch was split into two convoys: the first, comprising 741 pilgrims in 34 vehicles, headed for the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, while the second convoy of 1,583 pilgrims in 58 vehicles took the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district.Since the yatra began, over 3.60 lakh pilgrims have visited the holy cave shrine, which houses the revered ice-shivlingam, a natural formation symbolizing Lord Shiva. Despite the significant turnout, officials noted a steady decline in daily pilgrim numbers, attributing it to the diminishing size of the ice-shivlingam due to natural melting.
This year, a total of 1,39,098 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp since July 2, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch.The Amarnath Yatra, a significant Hindu pilgrimage, has been conducted under stringent security measures following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 lives. To ensure safety, 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed across the Jammu division, a 30% increase compared to previous years.
The Bhagwati Nagar base camp has been fortified with multi-tier security arrangements, and pilgrims are issued Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags for tracking and safety.Despite challenges such as heavy rainfall and a temporary suspension of the yatra on July 17 due to landslides, the pilgrimage has continued with fervour, with chants of “Bum Bum Bhole” and “Har Har Mahadev” resonating as devotees express their devotion. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 9, 2025, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan.
Over 4 lakh people have registered online for the pilgrimage, though on-the-spot registrations have been halted due to the declining footfall.Officials reported that last year, over 5.10 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine, and while this year’s numbers are slightly lower, the spiritual enthusiasm remains undeterred. The Amarnath Yatra continues to draw devotees from across India, seeking blessings at the sacred cave shrine, undaunted by logistical challenges or security concerns.
