Srinagar:
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of 4,603 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims from the base camp in Jammu this morning.
Before the departure, LG Manoj Sinha offered special prayers at the temple.
The 52-day pilgrimage to the cave shrine, located at an altitude of about 13,000 feet in the South Kashmir Himalayas, will commence on June 29.
The 52-day long pilgrimage to the cave shrine at a height of about 13,000 feet in South Kashmir Himalayas will commence from the twin tracks—traditional 48 km Nunwan—Pahalgam route in Anantnag and 14-km shorter but steep Baltal route in Ganderbal on June 29.
After flagging off the first batch, in a media address, LG Manoj Sinha said, “First batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims have departed from Jammu. In the last 3-4 years, a lot of arrangements have been made for the yatra and this time also J&K administration has done all the necessary arrangements, security has been heightened.” He sought support from locals in making the Yatra a grand success adding that “elaborate security arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.”
He also posted on social media about the ceremony. The post from Office of LG J&K reads, “Flagged off first batch of devotees for the pilgrimage to the holy cave of Shri Amarnath Ji”.