The Amarnath Yatra typically takes place during the months of June and July, coinciding with the Hindu month of Shravan. This pilgrimage attracts thousands of devotees every year, who embark on a spiritual quest to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. However this year, due to weather conditions and heavy rainfall, the yatra was suspended in certain regions. Now, it has resumed from the Jammu base camp from Tuesday afternoon.
Amarnath Yatra Resumes After 3 Days
After being stopped for three days due to the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway being closed for maintenance in the Ramban stretch, the Amarnath Yatra began on Tuesday afternoon from the Jammu base camp. A new group of pilgrims were permitted to depart for Kashmir in order to go on to the Amarnath cave shrine as soon as the roadway, which had been damaged in numerous locations by the constant rain was opened, as reported by Firstpost.
On July 1, the 62-day yearly pilgrimage to the 3,888-meter-high Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas began. Around 8,000 pilgrims were left stranded in Jammu, notably the Bhagwatinagar base camp, as a result of the yatra’s postponement.
The Chanderkot base camp in Ramban district was also home to over 6,000 stranded pilgrims. There were around 2,000 pilgrims trapped in the camps in Kathua and Samba.
Since June 30, seven separate groups of 43,833 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for the cave sanctuary, according to the publication. On August 31, the trip is supposed to come to an end.
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This Yatra Remains An Unparalleled Spiritual Experience
Amarnath Yatra pilgrims typically depart Jammu every day between 3.45 and 4.30 am. The pilgrimage begins in the town of Pahalgam or Baltal, both serving as base camps for the Yatra. From these points, devotees commence their challenging trek towards the holy cave.
Many pilgrims believe that undertaking this pilgrimage is a way to attain salvation and liberation from the cycle of birth and death. The highlight of the Amarnath Yatra is the Amarnath Cave itself, which is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva. Inside the cave, devotees witness a naturally formed ice stalagmite, which is considered a representation of Lord Shiva’s Lingam. This ice formation, known as the ‘Ice Lingam,’ changes in size and shape with the waxing and waning of the moon, further enhancing its mystical aura.
Cover image credits: Wikimedia Commons (Representational image)