Baltal, Aug 4: Over 4.10 lakh yatris paid obeisance at the Amarnath Cave shrine in south Kashmir this year as the annual yatra concluded peacefully and successfully.
This year’s Amarnath Yatra was prematurely halted a week before its scheduled end due to adverse weather conditions impacting the route.
Despite initial plans of concluding on August 9, the yatra was suspended, and the administration later announced it would not resume.
The annual yatra to the 3880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine was cut short at least a week early due to the urgency for maintenance work on the twin tracks.
The yatra had started on July 3.
Initially, the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed sparked fear among the yatris, leading to cancellations of bookings for this year’s Amarnath Yatra.
The incident, raising concerns about the safety of the yatra, led to a significant percentage drop in registrations compared to the previous year, with many yatris reconsidering their plans due to the heightened security risks.
However, the situation began to stabilise ahead of the yatra due to robust security measures implemented by the authorities and a good number of yatris undertaking the yatra and paying obeisance at the Amaranth Cave shrine without fear.
Elaborate arrangements were made by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and the Jammu and Kashmir administration for a smooth and peaceful yatra.
The civil and Police administration worked to ensure a hassle-free and incident-free yatra.
Security personnel drawn from the Army, the CRPF, the ITBP, the SSB, and the J&K Police were deployed this year.
Meanwhile, the service providers, including tent owners, shopkeepers, and others, have closed their business establishments and are leaving Baltal.
Ponywallas, tent owners, shopkeepers, labourers, and others – mostly locals – offer services to Amarnath Yatris.
The service providers, as well as the locals, expressed happiness over the successful and peaceful Amarnath Yatra. “We have always welcomed the Amarnath yatris who are our guests,” they said.
For local service providers, Amarnath Yatra means more than business and earning a livelihood.
Risking their lives and braving the difficult trek during rains, hot and humid weather conditions, and mud all along the route up to the Amarnath cave shrine, the local service providers, including ponywallas and palanquin bearers, manage to provide a safe and comfortable journey to the Amarnath yatris. Civil Society groups also expressed satisfaction and happiness over the smooth and successful conduct of the Amarnath Yatra.
“This yatra is a symbol of communal harmony, and we are always here to strengthen this bond,” said a member of the local Civil Society, Tehsil Gund.
