Devotees stand in queue outside the Amarnath Temple to offer prayers during the annual ‘Amarnath Yatra’, in Anantnag district,
Srinagar: The ongoing annual Amarnath Yatra has witnessed an unprecedented surge in pilgrim arrivals this year, with 4.60 lakh yatries paying obeisance to Lord Shiva at Amarnath cave shrine in a month compared to last year's total of 4.5 lakh visitors.
The 52-day yatra which began on June 29, will conclude on August 19. The increased turnout this year can be attributed to improved logistical arrangements, enhanced security measures, and favorable weather conditions.
The multi-tiered security arrangements, which include a mix of paramilitary forces, local police, and intelligence agencies, have been put in place to prevent any untoward incidents. The administration has also arranged for adequate water supply and sanitation facilities to maintain hygiene standards.
Pilgrims from all corners of the country have thronged to the revered shrine, reaffirming their faith and devotion.
The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave, situated in south Kashmir Himalayas at an altitude of 3,888 meters, is revered by Hindus for its natural ice Shiva Lingam, considered a manifestation of Lord Shiva.
A senior official involved in the smooth conduct of the yatra said though the numbers are increasing, it can’t breach the 2011 mark when over six lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine.
“From a peak of over 20 thousand pilgrims visiting the cave shrine per day in the initial days of the yatra, the number has come down to less than five thousand now. From next week it will come down further and we expect the final tally may be somewhere between 5.20 to 5.40 lakh pilgrims,” he said.
Since the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) took control of the yatra in 2001, the number of pilgrims has varied: 1.91 lakh in 2001, 1.10 in 2002, 1.70 in 2003, 4 lakh in 2004, 3.88 in 2005, 3.47 in 2006, 2.96 in 2007, 5.33 in 2008, 3.81 in 2009, 4.55 in 2010, 6.21 in 2011, 6.35 in 2012, 3.54 in 2013, 3.72 in 2014, 3.52 in 2015, 2.21 in 2016, 2.60 in 2017, 2.85 in 2018, 3.43 in 2019, 3.04 in 2022, and 4.50 in 2023. The yatra was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.