Sanjay Pandita
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 5: Unfazed by recent terror threats and attacks, the enthusiasm among devotees undertaking the Amarnath Yatra 2025 is reaching unprecedented heights. Chanting “Bam-Bam Bhole” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” thousands of pilgrims are marching ahead with unshakable devotion, transforming the spiritual journey into a nationwide display of faith and resilience.
At 4.00 AM, one convoy departed for Baltal, followed shortly by another at 4:30 AM for Pahalgam, both from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu. A total of 6,411 pilgrims—including 4,723 men, 1,071 women, 37 children, and 580 sadhus and sadhvis—left in 291 vehicles, heavily guarded by CRPF and local security forces.
According to officials, 3,622 pilgrims opted for the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route, while 2,789 others embarked on the shorter but more challenging 14-km Baltal route.
With the fresh departure, a total of 17,549 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for the Valley since Wednesday, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the yatra from here.
Despite initial concerns that the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, in which 26 civilians were killed, might affect turnout, the opposite has proven true. The successful ‘Operation Sindoor’ and heightened security arrangements have not only restored confidence but further galvanized pilgrims. Devotees continue to arrive in droves, many spending the night in prayer and bhajans at the base camp before setting off on their sacred journey.
Officials confirmed that nearly 14,000 pilgrims have already had darshan of Baba Barfani at the holy cave shrine, situated 3,880 meters above sea level, through the Baltal and Pahalgam tracks.
Pilgrims traveling via the Pahalgam route also paid emotional tributes to the victims of the recent terror attack, vowing to continue the yatra year after year, undeterred by the threat of violence. “We will not bow down to terrorism. Our faith is stronger than their bullets,” declared a group of yatris.
Over 17,500 pilgrims have embarked on the yatra from Jammu in just the first three days, and numbers continue to swell. Even after the administration increased the quota of advance tokens, thousands of unregistered pilgrims arriving from across the country have had to wait due to capacity constraints.
To manage the unprecedented rush, the Jammu administration has set up, 34 accommodation centers across the city, 12 counters for on-the-spot registration, and RFID tagging for every pilgrim to ensure real-time tracking and safety.
Security remains paramount, with multi-tiered arrangements in and around the base camp. All convoy movements are escorted, and high-tech surveillance measures have been deployed along both routes.
So far, over 3.5 lakh pilgrims have registered online for the Amarnath Yatra 2025, reflecting unwavering faith and the national significance of the pilgrimage. |
