Amarnath Yatra 2026 begins from Jammu as LG flags off first convoys under tight security

The largest batch of pilgrims so far this year, comprising 8,815 devotees, including 31 foreign nationals, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on Tuesday for the annual Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir amid tight security.Officials said the sixth batch included 5,831 men, 2,193 women, 31 children, 598 sadhus, 131 sadhvis and 31 foreign nationals. Of the total, 3,989 pilgrims travelling in 181 vehicles left for the Baltal base camp in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, while 4,826 pilgrims in 182 vehicles proceeded via the traditional Pahalgam route in south Kashmir's Anantnag district. The convoy comprised 363 vehicles.Over 1.06 lakh devotees perform darshan during the first five days of the #ShriAmarnathJiYatra, including 20,537 pilgrims till 3 PM today. Meanwhile, the largest batch so far—8,815 pilgrims—departs from Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu for the Baltal & Pahalgam routes.@airnewsalerts pic.twitter.com/JmqOYK3bL0— Akashvani News Jammu (@radionews_jammu) July 7, 2026 Over 93,000 devotees visit shrineMore than 93,000 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Himalayas during the first four days of the pilgrimage. The figure is expected to cross the one lakh mark later on Tuesday.With Tuesday's departure, 34,829 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for Kashmir since the yatra began on July 2. Tuesday's convoy was the largest since the pilgrimage commenced, surpassing the previous highest of 6,721 pilgrims on Sunday. A total of 5,794 pilgrims departed on Monday, while 4,812 left on July 4.Amarnath Yatra 2026: Over 32,000 Devotees Offer Darshan In First 2 Days Amid Heavy RushDevotees praise arrangementsThe Bhagwati Nagar base camp echoed with chants of "Bam Bam Bhole", "Har Har Mahadev" and "Jai Barfani Baba Ki" as devotees began their journey. Many pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made for the smooth conduct of the yatra.The 57-day pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on Aug 28, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan.Also Watch:Administration urges wait for registrationMeanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has appealed to unregistered devotees planning to undertake the pilgrimage to defer their journey for a few days, as all registration slots have been booked until July 9 due to an unprecedented rush.Officials said only registered pilgrims will be allowed to proceed towards Kashmir, while unregistered devotees will be stopped at designated checkpoints until fresh registration quotas become available.

The largest batch of pilgrims so far this year, comprising 8,815 devotees, including 31 foreign nationals, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here on Tuesday for the annual Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir amid tight security. More than 93,000 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Himalayas during the first four days of the pilgrimage, with the figure expected to cross the one-lakh mark later in the day. Officials said the sixth batch comprised 5,831 men, 2,193 women, 31 children, 598 sadhus, 131 sadhvis and 31 foreign nationals. Of them, 3,989 pilgrims travelling in 181 vehicles left for the Baltal base camp in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, while 4,826 pilgrims in 182 vehicles proceeded towards the traditional Pahalgam route in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, taking the convoy strength to 363 vehicles. With Tuesday's departure, a total of 34,829 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for Kashmir since the yatra commenced on July 2. The .

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha urged unregistered Amarnath pilgrims to wait patiently as the Yatra sees a massive surge this year. He emphasized that only those with valid registrations for designated dates will be allowed to proceed, citing fixed daily pilgrim caps for safety. Extensive security and specialized mountain rescue teams are in place for the 57-day pilgrimage, which commenced on July 3rd. Helicopter services are prohibited in the Yatra area.

Srinagar, July 5: Over 32,000 devotees had ‘darshan’ inside the holy Amarnath cave in Kashmir over the past two days, as authorities urged unregistered pilgrims not to undertake the yatra before registration due to the heavy rush of pilgrims.Reports said 20,145 yatris performed the yatra by Saturday evening, while during the last two days 32,485 had ‘darshan’ since the pilgrimage started on July 3.Pilgrims Die Due To Cardiac ArrestWeather along the two yatra routes remained dry and partially cloudy as the devotees moved smoothly along both tracks.Meanwhile, two pilgrims died near the holy cave during the last two days due to cardiac arrest.One pilgrim, namely Parvin Chhaganlal Parvan, son of Chhaganlal of Vibhapar, Jamnagar, Gujarat, fell unconscious at Kalimata point. He was immediately rushed to the Medical Post at Lower Holy Cave by a team of the Joint Rescue Operation, but the doctors declared him dead.Another pilgrim, namely Arun Kumar, 52, son of Shiv Pal of Gali Number 3, New Bahadur Chand Colony, Hansi Road, Karnal, Haryana, suffered breathlessness on Saturday and was rushed to the holy cave medical post, where doctors tried to revive him, but he passed away.Also Watch:Large Rush Of YatrisReports said there is a huge rush of pilgrims in the yatra area, and thousands of yatris are camping at Nunwan, Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheshnag, Panchtarni and Baltal on their way to the holy cave.The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and the UT administration have made elaborate arrangements for pilgrims en route for a smooth and hassle-free yatra.Besides, base hospitals at Nunwan and Baltal medical posts have been established on both tracks en route to the holy cave.Foolproof security arrangements have been put in place to deal with any untoward incident.Amarnath Yatra 2026: Thousands Pilgrims Reach Baba Barfani Shrine; Third Convoy Of Pilgrims Flagged Off On Saturday Reports said pilgrims who performed ‘darshan’ at the holy cave on Saturday have started their return journey towards their respective base camps. The fourth batch of over 4,600 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas on Sunday morning in two escorted convoys for the two base camps.SANJY-2026 started on July 3 and will end on August 28, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals. Situated at an altitude of 3,880 metres in the Kashmir Himalayas, the cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon. Devotees believe the ice formation symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

The annual Amarnath Yatra 2026 continues to witness an overwhelming response from devotees, with thousands of pilgrims visiting the sacred Amarnath Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir to seek the blessings of Baba Barfani, the naturally formed ice Shivling believed to represent Lord Shiva.In Pics: Indian Army personnel unfurl a high mast National Flag at Chandanwari, the gateway to the annual 'Amarnath Yatra', in Anantnag district, Jammu And Kashmir#AmarnathYatra | #IndianArmy | #Tiranga pic.twitter.com/gDXyzf6LKL— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 4, 2026 Third batch of Amarnath pilgrims departsAs the pilgrimage gathered pace, the third batch of pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu under tight security arrangements. The third batch of 4,812 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims departed on Saturday, heading to the Pahalgam and Baltal routes. The batch included 966 women, 244 sadhus, and 157 sadhvis. More than 12,000 devotees offered prayers on the yatra's opening day, with 13,499 pilgrims having left Jammu since July 2.The convoy, comprising hundreds of vehicles carrying devotees, left in the early hours for the twin routes of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district.VIDEO | Jammu: A fresh batch of over 6,700 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp for the Amarnath shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas under tight security. pic.twitter.com/9CpEhrEj5B— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 5, 2026 Tight security arrangementsThe Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), along with the Jammu and Kashmir administration, has made extensive arrangements to ensure the safety and comfort of pilgrims. Multi-layered security, medical camps, RFID tracking, weather monitoring, accommodation facilities, and langars have been set up along both routes.Despite the challenging mountainous terrain and unpredictable weather conditions, devotees from across India continue to undertake the spiritually significant journey with great enthusiasm. Many pilgrims described the darshan of the holy ice Shivling as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, expressing gratitude for the smooth arrangements.Amarnath Yatra 2026: First Batch Of Pilgrims Arrives At Jammu Base Camp; Lt Governor Manoj Sinha To Flag Off The Convoy On Thursday | A Border Roads Organisation (@BROindia) person undertakes maintenance and upgradation works on the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra route under Project Beacon in Anantnag district of #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/8prcIDCLio— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 3, 2026 About AmarnathThe Amarnath Yatra is one of Hinduism's most revered pilgrimages and is held annually during the Shravan month. The naturally occurring ice formation inside the cave waxes and wanes with the lunar cycle and is worshipped as a manifestation of Lord Shiva.

Thousands of pilgrims are continuing their journey to the sacred Shri Amarnath cave shrine. On Saturday, the third batch of 4,812 devotees departed from Jammu's Yatri Niwas base camp. This follows a successful opening day where over 12,000 pilgrims offered prayers. The administration has made advance registration compulsory, and helicopter services are unavailable due to the no-fly zone declaration along the pilgrimage route.