Weather Woes Stall Amarnath Yatra from Jammu for Second Day

Jammu, August 1: For the second consecutive day, the Amarnath Yatra from Jammu remained suspended on Friday owing to inclement weather in the Kashmir region, officials said.

No fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to move from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu towards the twin base camps at Pahalgam and Baltal, the starting points for the trek to the 3,880-meter-high Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir.

“The yatra to the cave shrine from Jammu remained suspended today. It has been done in view of the inclement weather besides precautionary measures. No fresh batch was allowed from Jammu towards Amarnath,” a yatra information official stated.

This marks the second weather-related suspension of the pilgrimage from Jammu; earlier on July 17, the yatra was halted due to heavy rainfall around the base camps.

Meanwhile, pilgrims from across India who had arrived in Jammu for the holy journey are currently sheltered at the high-security Bhagwati Nagar base camp, awaiting a green signal based on the evolving weather situation.

Despite the disruptions, the faith remains unwavering—over 4 lakh devotees have so far paid obeisance at the naturally formed ice lingam of Lord Shiva since the 38-day yatra commenced on July 3.

This year’s pilgrimage was flagged off by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on July 2, and till date, over 1.44 lakh pilgrims have travelled from the Jammu base camp to the Valley.

The Amarnath Yatra is set to conclude on August 9, coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival.

Last year, more than 5.10 lakh pilgrims had undertaken the spiritual trek, making it one of the most significant religious events in the country.

Authorities continue to monitor weather conditions closely and will resume the yatra once it’s deemed safe for pilgrims. (Agencies)