VIDEO | Amarnath Yatra 2024: First Batch Of 4,600 Pilgrims Kicks Off 52-Day Sacred Journey

The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine commenced on Saturday with the departure of the first batch of pilgrims from the Baltal base camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district for the darshan of the holy cave.

The first batch of 4,600 pilgrims reached the Kashmir Valley for the 52-day Amarnath Yatra, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Photo Credit: PTI

Amarnath Yatra 2024: First Batch Of 4,600 Pilgrims Starts

Amid the blowing of conch shells and chants of "Bum Bum Bhole," "Jai Baba Burfani," and "Har Har Mahadev," the first batch of pilgrims was sent off from the base camp for the holy shrine, which is situated at an altitude of 12,756 feet above sea level. The first batch, consisting of 4,603 pilgrims, was reported to have reached the Kashmir valley on Friday amidst stringent security arrangements.

This year, the 52-day-long pilgrimage is scheduled to culminate on August 19. Online registrations for the 52-day-long yatra were initiated on April 15 through the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board's (SASB) website and portal. Mock drills were conducted, and security was tightened on the eve of the Amarnath Yatra, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Comprehensive arrangements, including three-tier security, area dominations, elaborate route deployment, and checkpoints, were made to ensure a smooth yatra. Reports indicate that more than 3.50 lakh people have registered for this year's yatra. As many as 125 community kitchens (langars) have been established along the two routes to the cave shrine, supported by over 6,000 volunteers.

The Amarnath Yatra, which is conducted every year amid tight security and vigilance, is carried out via twin tracks - the traditional 48-km-long Nunwan-Pahalgam route in the Anantnag district and the 14-km-long, shorter but steep Baltal route in the Ganderbal district.

The Amarnath Yatra attracts lakhs of pilgrims annually, who visit the site during the 'Shravani Mela in July-August (Shravan month in the Hindu calendar) - the only time of the year when the Amarnath Cave is accessible due to its geographical conditions.

Situated 141 km from the capital Srinagar, at an altitude of 12,756 feet above sea level, the holy cave of Amarnath is located in the Ladar Valley, which is covered by glaciers and snow-capped mountains for most of the year.