Shri Amarnathji Yatra starts from Jammu

Jammu (J&K), June 24 - First batch of Shri Amarnathji pilgrims left for Holy Cave in the Himalayas situated in south Kashmir from Jammu in the early morning hours.

A fleet of buses carrying Shri amarnathji pilgrims including sadhus left for Holy Cave in the Himalayas situated in south Kashmir from Jammu . Shri Amarnathji yatra was flagged of by Minister of Tourism and Culture , Jammu & Kshmir. The yatra was flagged off in presence of senior civil, police officers and prominent citizens.

The J&K administration has made elaborate arrangements including boarding and lodging, for the pilgrims at Yatri Niwas, Jammu which serves as the base camp of annual Shri Amarnathji pilgrimage.

The Tourism Department has also made arrangements for transportation of pilgrims and Police is engaged inproviding foolproof security for the pilgrims in the base camp as well as other community halls were the pilgrims are putting up, an official spokesman said.

Tight and foolproof security arrangements have also been made on National Highway right from Lakhanpur to Baltal and Nunwan camps for the yatris. Para military forces and police have been deployed to man the National Highway and the two tracks from Baltal to Holy Cave and Nunwan to cave shrine besides other places, besides the Army deployed at Holy Cave Shrine.

Meanwhile, the state government administration has issued an advisory to yatris asking them that no registered pilgrims will be allowed to proceed towards the Srinagar ahead of his scheduled registration date. In a handout issued here today, the administration appealed to the yatris to report to the base camp at Bhagwati Nagar here only 2-3 days in advance of their scheduled registration date.

An official spokesman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board said that the tracks on both sides of the cave are through for the pilgrims and all arrangements are in place on all the camps enroute to holy cave. He said the inaugural pooja in the Holy Cave will be performed on the first day of darshan i.e June 25.