Over 20,000 pilgrims have already visited the holy Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas in the first two days of the pilgrimage, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced on Friday. He noted a widespread atmosphere of celebration and enthusiasm throughout the Union Territory for the annual Amarnath Yatra.
“Till now, according to the information, over 20,000 devotees of Baba have had darshan,” Sinha told reporters after inaugurating the Yatri Niwas Complex at the Baltal base camp in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. He added that pilgrims are arriving from all corners of the country and are being welcomed warmly by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Sinha also highlighted that the J-K government and the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) have enhanced facilities for the yatris.
Sinha addressed the issue of some pilgrims arriving ahead of their scheduled registration dates, requesting them to wait patiently. He assured that no one would be asked to leave, but priority would be given to those with registrations for July 4 or 5.
The newly inaugurated Yatri Niwas, which includes a registration and security block, can accommodate 800 pilgrims. The LG emphasized that providing safe and adequate accommodation for all devotees is a top priority. Sinha also interacted with service providers and devotees at the base camp, observing that pilgrims felt “blessed and excited to be part of this journey of faith and tradition.”
