Amarnath Yatra suspended due to heavy rainfall forecast; no batch allowed today (Lead)

Srinagar, July 17 (IANS) As a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the Yatris, authorities on Thursday did not allow any movement of pilgrims from Jammu to Kashmir and also from the two base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam towards the cave shrine.

Officials said, “Due to adverse weather advisory predicting heavy rain along the Yatra route from Jammu to the Valley and also from the twin base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam to the holy cave shrine, no movement of Yatris will be allowed today from Jammu to Srinagar or from the two base camps towards the holy cave shrine”.

The Meteorological (MeT) department has forecast widespread light to moderate rain in Kashmir and heavy to very heavy rain in the Jammu division during the next 24 hours.

Officials said since the Yatra started this year on July 3, in the last 14 days, over 2.37 lakh Yatris had ‘darshan’ inside the cave shrine.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that, given the response and the enthusiasm of the pilgrims, this year’s Amarnath Yatra is likely to cross the 3.50 lakh figure expected so far.

Bhumi Pujan of ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (Lord Shiva’s Holy Mace) was performed at Pahalgam on July 10. The Chhari Mubarak was taken to Pahalgam by a group of seers led by the sole custodian of the Chhari Mubarak, Mahant Swami Deependra Giri, from its seat at the Dashnami Akhara Building in Srinagar to Pahalgam.

Chhari Mubarak was then taken back to its seat at the Dashnami Akhara building in Srinagar. It will be taken to the holy cave shrine on August 4 and will reach there on August 9, when the Yatra will officially conclude.

Authorities have made extensive multi-tier security arrangements for this year’s Amarnath Yatra, as this takes place after the cowardly attack of April 22 in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 civilians after segregating them based on faith in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam.

An additional 180 companies of CAPFs have been brought in to augment the existing strength of the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB and the local police.

The Army has rolled out 'Operation SHIVA 2025', deploying more than 8,500 troops alongside advanced surveillance and combat technology.

All the transit camps en route to the two base camps and the entire route from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu to the cave shrine are secured by the security forces.

Yatris approach the holy cave shrine situated 3888 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas either from the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route.

No helicopter services are available to Yatris this year due to security reasons.

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon. Devotees believe that the ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

--IANS

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