The Amarnath Yatra is one of Hinduism’s most revered pilgrimages. It takes place annually during the Shravan month (July–August) and leads to the Amarnath Cave in Jammu and Kashmir, situated at an altitude of 3,880 metres and approximately 141 km from Srinagar.
The highlight of the yatra is the naturally formed ice lingam, believed to represent Lord Shiva, which devotees believe grows and shrinks with the moon cycle.
The journey is physically demanding, but thousands of pilgrims undertake it every year with deep spiritual devotion.
2025 Yatra Commences Amid Tight Security
The 38-day-long Amarnath Yatra 2025 began on Thursday, July 3, via the two traditional routes — Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district.
Officials reported that:
“About 14,000 pilgrims have prayed at the 3,880 metre-high cave shrine since Thursday when the 38-day annual yatra commenced from Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district – the two conventional tracks.”
Third Batch of Pilgrims Departs from Jammu
On Friday, July 4, the third batch of 6,411 pilgrims — including 4,723 men, 1,071 women, 37 children, and 580 sadhus and sadhvis — left from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu.
The group travelled in 291 vehicles, divided into two convoys:
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3,622 pilgrims took the 48-km traditional Pahalgam route via 138 vehicles.
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2,789 pilgrims chose the 14-km shorter and steeper Baltal route in 153 vehicles.
Security Measures and Tracking
Following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which 26 people were killed, security has been significantly tightened.
The Bhagwati Nagar base camp is under multi-layered security, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are being issued to all pilgrims to track movement and ensure safety.
So far, over 3.5 lakh devotees have registered online for the yatra. Authorities have also set up:
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34 accommodation centres across Jammu
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12 counters for on-the-spot registrations
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha officially flagged off the Amarnath Yatra on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.
Since then, 17,549 pilgrims have departed from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar base camp to begin their sacred journey to the Amarnath Cave shrine in Kashmir.
