Amarnath Yatra Halted Temporarily From Both Routes Due To Heavy Rain In Kashmir

A batch of 4,600 pilgrims which was on its way to the Pahalgam base camp have been stopped in Chanderkote, meanwhile, another group of 2,140 devotees moving towards Batla camp was allowed to proceed.

Pilgrims near the holy cave shrine of Amarnath. ( Image Source :PTI )

The Amarnath Yatra was temporarily suspended on Friday due to bad weather as heavy rain lashes some parts of Kashmir. The halt applies to both the Baltal and the Pahalgam routes, according to a PTI report. The rain started early one Friday, forcing the temporary halt of the pilgrimage. The Yatris have been stopped at the Baltal and the Nunwan base camps. Officials in Jammu said that a batch of 4,600 pilgrims which was on its way to the Pahalgam base camp have been stopped in Chanderkote, meanwhile, another group of 2,140 devotees moving towards Batla camp was allowed to proceed.

 "The yatra has been suspended and no pilgrim is being allowed to move towards the holy cave shrine this morning," the officials told PTI.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Ramban) Mohita Sharma stated that the pilgrimage has been halted in the district's Chanderkote area. "The yatra has been suspended due to inclement weather in the Pahalgam belt," Sharma told PTI.

The yatra will resume as soon as the weather improves.

So far a total of 84,768 devotees have had ‘darshan’ of the natural ice lingam formation in the south Kashmir Himalayas including 17,202 pilgrims who paid obeisance on Thursday.

The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31

According to ANI, the official spokesperson said that pilgrims are being assisted during their entire journey by state agencies and civil departments by making all the essentials and facilities available to devotees.

Every year a large number of devotees undertake the arduous annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine located in Kashmir Himalayas to pay obeisance to Holy Ice Shiv Lingam.

The Amarnath Yatra forms part of the Char Dham Yatra and it is facilitated under the surveillance of tight security. Apart from the weather, the terrain in the route to the holy cave shrine makes the pilgrimage one of the most arduous ones.