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| Amarnath yatra begins, suspended | | First batch stranded at Qazigund | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, June 15: Authorities on Monday suspended the Amarnath pilgrimage, which began today, due to bad weather and snowfall in the higher reaches of Kashmir valley.
The pilgrimage has been suspended from Jammu tomorrow in view of bad weather conditions and snowfall in some areas of south Kashmir himalayas, an official spokesman said here today.
The pilgrimage began from the city today with the first batch of 900 pilgrims leaving the base camp at Bhagwati Nagar here.
Earlier, the first batch of nearly 900 pilgrims today left for Shri Amarnath Cave Shrine to have darshan of the holy Shivlingam.
The minister for Tourism and Culture, Mr Nawang Rigzin Zora flagged off the contingent of 900 pilgrims in a fleet of 30 vehicles in the wee hours today in presence of a huge gathering of social and religious organizations.
The 900 pilgrims include 607 males, 229 females and 64 children who boarded in 18 buses and 12 light motor vehicles.
Wishing the pilgrims luck, Mr Zora advised them to be prepared to brave the chilling weather conditions around the Holy Cave shrine. He said that government is making every effort for extending all basic amenities to Shri Amarnathji Yatries at the various transit and lodging centre across Jammu city to ensure their comfortable stay before leaving for their destinations.
The Minister said that elaborate security arrangements have been put in place along the National Highway and throughout the yatra track, adding that the decision on opening the Pahalgam route for yatries shall be taken on 22nd of June after reviewing the snow/landslides clearance operations. He said that the state was abundantly endowed with pilgrimage tourism potential and all the three regions of the state were rich in cultural and heritage tourism as well. . He said that the state was known for its age-old hospitality adding that up keeping this tradition was sure to attract heavy influx of tourists/yatries in the state.
Meanwhile, the constantly inclement weather has left many passengers stranded in Jammu. The delay in the pilgrimage, which was to start earlier June 7, caused confusion for many pilgrims who had registered themselves according to the initial schedule.
Kishore was registered to set out on the trek June 14 from the Baltal route, a shorter but steep track to the shrine. After he learned that the pilgrimage would start June 15, he assumed that his pilgrimage day would be a day later than original June 14.
“Now I am being told that I would have to get my registration revalidated and that too if there is quota available on a particular day,” said an angry Kishore.
“I did not delay the pilgrimage. They (the shrine board) did it,” he said.
“They should have adopted normal procedure, on first come first serve basis,” he said as many other stranded pilgrims, caught in the similar situation, also complained.
And many of the pilgrims have come with their families.
Assistant tourist officer Anil Koul said the government and the temple board have cleared the registration of stranded pilgrims for the Baltal.
But he said the pilgrims who want to travel through the traditional route involving a 46-km trek from the tourist resort of Pahalgam may have to wait for some more time as heavy snowfall has already delayed the start of the pilgrimage on this route.
“We are not sure of the Pahalgam route,” Koul said.
A decision on opening the Pahalgam route is likely to be taken June 22.
“I have been undertaking pilgrimage from the (Pahalgam) route for the past five years,” said Abhay Kumar, a lawyer from Agra.
In a fix, Kumar said he cannot wait till June 22 and going back home without undertaking the pilgrimage was a bad omen.
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