Pilgrims participating in Amarnath Yatra receive free langar services in Jammu
Virender Kumar Sharma, who has been organizing the langar facility for the past 17 years, said, 'We have been running this langar for almost 17 years, and it's a completely free service. People come from far-off places, and whoever comes here, they have devotion towards it and also make donations. There are many langars in the city, but we run this langar for free and don't expect anything in return.'
The pilgrims have expressed gratitude for the security forces and the arrangements along the Pahalgam route.
Siddharth Agrawal, a first-time pilgrim, praised the security personnel, saying, 'I am here for the first time. Despite recent incidents, the armed forces are working hard for us. We may not have had the courage to come here without their support. We are roaming around freely because they are standing here with guns. I salute the CRPF and the J-K Police.'
Nilesh Upadhyay, another pilgrim undertaking the yatra for the 13th time, echoed similar sentiments, saying, 'The arrangements are very good. There is peace here.'
Union Minister Jitendra Singh stated that around 26,000-27,000 pilgrims have visited the Amarnath Yatra since its commencement on July 2, dispelling concerns that the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam might deter pilgrims.
The 38-day annual Amarnath pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine in South Kashmir began on July 3, 2025 and will conclude on August 9, 2025 (Raksha Bandhan).
The pilgrimage began simultaneously from both routes - Pahalgam track (Anantnag district) and Baltal (Ganderbal district).
Amarnath Yatra is an annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave, where devotees pay homage to an ice stalagmite believed to be the lingam of Lord Shiva.
The ice stalagmite forms every year during the summer months and reaches its maximum size in July and August, when thousands of Hindu devotees make an annual pilgrimage to the cave. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
UP: QR code feedback system launched for Kanwar Yatra in interstate meeting
Meerut (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 8 (ANI): The Uttar Pradesh administration held an interstate meeting with Haryana officials on Tuesday in a major step to ensure the safety and well-being of pilgrims during the Kanwar Yatra. The administration launched QR codes to enhance transparency and accountability at food stalls and dhabas on the Kanwar route. The meeting was attended by the UP Director General of Police, Chief Secretary, and top officers from both states to coordinate efforts for smooth and secure conduct of the pilgrimage. As part of the safety drive, the Food and Logistics Department inspected several shops and food outlets along the Faizabad Road route in Lucknow. Officials destroyed expired food products on the spot and warned vendors against selling substandard items. Pilgrims will now be able to scan the codes and give feedback on food quality using a mobile application. A large number of Kanwariyas travel through Faizabad Road in Lucknow to perform Jalabhishek at temples in Ayodhya, making the route one of the busiest during the Yatra. In light of this, authorities have implemented strict food safety measures. According to officials, the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department directed all districts to ensure that every food outlet operating on the Kanwar Yatra route holds a valid license or registration. These outlets were instructed to display their registration certificates and Food Safety Display (FSD) Boards prominently for public visibility. 'Expired and unsafe food items found during inspections were destroyed immediately to ensure that no harmful products are served to devotees,' the official said. The administration also announced that random checks will continue throughout the Yatra period to ensure compliance with safety regulations and that food and water served to pilgrims remain hygienic and safe. A day earlier, CM Adityanath reviewed the preparations for the Kanwar Yatra. He conducted a comprehensive aerial survey of the entire Yatra route from Hindon Airport in Ghaziabad to Bijnor. During the inspection, he issued clear and strict instructions to officials to ensure seamless arrangements, security of devotees, and full respect for their religious sentiments. The Chief Minister placed special emphasis on maintaining the sanctity of the pilgrimage, ensuring that the faith and enthusiasm of lakhs of devotees remain undisturbed. He directed officials to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards those attempting to defile food items or engage in similar disrespectful acts. (ANI)
India Gazette
3 hours ago
- India Gazette
Delhi Hajj Committee begin registration for Hajj 2026
New Delhi [India], July 8 (ANI): Kausan Jahan, Chairperson of the Delhi Hajj Committee, informed that registrations for Hajj 2026 commenced on July 7 and will conclude on July 31. The passports of the applicants should be valid until December 2026. As per the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the committee is committed to providing the best facilities to the Hajj pilgrims. 'Registration for Haj 2026 has begun. It will go on from 7 July to 31 July... The passports of applicants should be valid till 31 December 2026... The committee, as per the instructions of PM Narendra Modi, is committed to providing the best facilities to Haj pilgrims', Kausar Jahan told ANI. On July 4, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju announced that the Union Government will begin accepting applications for the Haj pilgrimage in 2026 within a week, urging pilgrims to ensure timely submissions of documents to avoid future complications ahead of the pilgrimage. Speaking to reporters, Rijiju outlined the preparations and new measures to facilitate a smooth pilgrimage process, emphasising digitalisation and adherence to deadlines set by the Saudi Arabian government. 'Within a week, we will start accepting Haj applications for 2026... I request people to fill out their applications on time so they do not face any problems in the future. The Saudi Arabian government has set many strict deadlines,' Rijiju stated. In Islam, every individual must fulfil five duties (pillars), of which Hajj is one. This year, the Hajj was performed between June 4 and June 9 in Saudi Arabia. The first batch of annual Hajj pilgrims from India started in early May. According to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, a total of 1,22,518 hajj pilgrims undertook the sacred journey, with the first flights departing from Lucknow and Hyderabad. (ANI)
India Gazette
3 hours ago
- India Gazette
Shabana Azmi boards Air India flight with Javed Akhtar to reach Wimbledon, says it has 'best in-flight service in the world'
ANI 08 Jul 2025, 23:44 GMT+10 Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 8 (ANI): Star couple Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar on Tuesday boarded an Air India flight to reach Wimbledon and expressed full faith in the 'national carrier with the best inflight service in the world'. Taking to X, Shabana shared a picture with Javed from the flight, reiterating 'faith' in the airline service. 'Off to #London for [?]@Wimbledon[?] on [?]@airindia. Reiterating faith in our National carrier with the best inflight service in the world ! [?]@Javedakhtarjadu @mantagoyal,' she captioned the post. Last week, Raashii Khanna took to her Instagram account to share how she has been battling travel anxiety following the Air India crash in Ahmedabad last month. The actress posted a couple of pictures from the airport along with a note expressing how recent headlines have worsened her fear of flying. She spoke about how travel, which once felt like an 'escape,' now feels stressful and 'heavy.' 'There's so much unrest in the world... Every flight feels heavier now--not just because of the skies, but because of the headlines we carry with us. Travel used to be an escape. Lately, it feels like holding your breath. Anyone else feeling this travel anxiety too?' read her post. The crash occurred on June 12, when a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a hostel complex of BJ Medical College in the Meghani Nagar area of Gujarat's Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The tragedy claimed 241 lives out of the 242 onboard, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. (ANI)
