After a one-day suspension, the Amarnath Yatra resumed from Jammu on Sunday, as a new group of 1,626 pilgrims departed from the base camp early in the morning to continue their annual pilgrimage to the south Kashmir Himalayas. However, their journey was halted at the Chankerkote Yatri Niwas in Ramban district due to a landslide that blocked the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the sole all-weather road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country, near Keela Morh.
The 34th batch of pilgrims, comprising 1,626 devotees, set out from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in a convoy of 64 vehicles between 3.30 am and 3.45 am. Out of this group, 1,092 pilgrims are bound for the Pahalgam base camp in Anantnag district, while the remaining 534 are en route to the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district.
However, their journey was interrupted when a landslide struck near Keela Morh at approximately 6.15 am, leading to a blockage on the highway. As a result, the traffic department advised travelers to avoid using the road until restoration work was completed. The restoration efforts were further hindered by shooting stones from a nearby hillock, making it challenging to clear the highway. Nevertheless, the concerned agency mobilized its workforce and machinery to expedite the restoration process.
Since the beginning of the 62-day-long yatra on July 1, more than 4.17 lakh pilgrims have visited the Amarnath cave shrine, which stands at an elevation of 3,888 meters in the south Kashmir Himalayas.
The Amarnath Yatra is an annual Hindu pilgrimage to the sacred Amarnath cave, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Despite the challenges posed by natural obstacles, the pilgrimage continues to attract a large number of devotees seeking spiritual fulfillment and an enriching experience amidst the breathtaking landscape of the Kashmir Himalayas.
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