ibn sultan
Jammu, July 2: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday flagged off the first batch of pilgrims for the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026 from the Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp in Jammu amid chants of “Har Har Mahadev,” “Jai Bholay Nath,” and “Bam Bam Bholay” and under elaborate security arrangements.
Before the flag-off ceremony, the Lieutenant Governor performed the traditional puja at the base camp. Extending his best wishes to the pilgrims, he described the annual pilgrimage as a profound spiritual journey that reflects unwavering faith and devotion to Lord Shiva.
“Every step taken on this holy path is a testament to unwavering faith and surrender to Baba Amarnath. I wish all devotees a safe, blissful, and spiritually fulfilling journey. May Lord Shiva bless us all,” LG Sinha said.
The 57-day pilgrimage will formally begin on July 3 via the twin routes of Pahalgam in Anantnag and Baltal in Ganderbal and will conclude on August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.
Among those present at the ceremony were MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, MLAs Arvind Gupta and Devyani Rana, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, and other senior civil and police officials.
Officials said this year’s Yatra has witnessed a higher turnout of pilgrims, with unprecedented security arrangements put in place to ensure a smooth and incident-free pilgrimage.
To facilitate devotees, authorities have established an on-the-spot registration centre at the Tawi Riverfront in Jammu. Additional registration centres have been set up at Mahajan Sabha for the general public and at Geeta Bhawan and Purani Mandi for sadhus.
