Latest news with #Bholenath
India Gazette
09-07-2025
- India Gazette
"Everything has been well arranged": Amarnath pilgrim from Philippines praises Yatra experience
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 9 (ANI): An Amarnath Yatra pilgrim from the Philippines, who is a member of the Indian diaspora, on Wednesday praised the administration of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) for arrangements made for the pilgrimage, despite initial fears following the Pahalgam terror attack. 'I have come from the Philippines... This is my first time on the yatra. People were scared following the Pahalgam terror attack. But we did not witness anything like that. Here, every arrangement has been made properly. Security has been provided, langar is in place,' she said. She also expressed her faith and wished for the well-being of fellow devotees. 'Bholenath' (name for Lord Shiva) should keep everyone safe and wish devotees a happy return to their homes. It was a very great experience. Everything is safe, come for Yatra, don't get scared,' She appealed to the devotees while speaking with ANI. Meanwhile, the seventh batch of pilgrims departed for the Amarnath Yatra from the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam on Wednesday. Devotees at the site expressed satisfaction with the arrangements and prayed for peace and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir. Visuals showed pilgrims beginning their spiritual journey toward the sacred Amarnath cave shrine. Deepa, a pilgrim from Bhopal, hailed the arrangements made for the Yatra and said that she would pray for everyone's well-being.'The vibes here are very positive...I will pray for the well-being of everyone. May all stay healthy. The arrangements here are very good,' she told ANI. Kamal, another devotee from Delhi, echoed similar feelings. 'I will pray for the peace and well-being of everyone. The arrangements here are very good,' he said. Meanwhile, free langar (community kitchen) services continue to support pilgrims en route, especially at the Jammu base camp and several locations along the National Highway. Virender Kumar Sharma, who has been organising 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.' First-time pilgrim Siddharth Agrawal praised the efforts of security personnel along the route. '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,' he said. The 38-day annual Amarnath pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine in South Kashmir began on July 3 and will conclude on August 9. The pilgrimage is taking place simultaneously via both the Pahalgam route (Anantnag district) and the Baltal route (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)
Deccan Herald
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
With devotion in her heart, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje treks to Amarnath shrine
#WATCH | Baltal, Jammu and Kashmir: On the Amarnath Yatra 2025, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje says, "Today, we are all going to have the darshan of Bholenath. It feels God bless us all. The atmosphere here is very are feeling good because…
India Gazette
03-07-2025
- India Gazette
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje joins Amarnath Yatra pilgrims, says 'atmosphere is very pleasant'
Baltal (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 3 (ANI): Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje visited the Amarnath Yatra base camp in Baltal on Thursday and expressed her joy over the spiritual journey and the ongoing development works in the area. She joined thousands of devotees on the 2025 Amarnath Yatra to seek blessings of Lord Shiva. Speaking to ANI during her visit, she said, 'Today, we are all going to have the darshan of Bholenath. It feels wonderful... May God bless us all. The atmosphere here is very pleasant... people are feeling good because development work is happening here too...' The Union Minister praised the efforts made by local authorities and the government to improve facilities and infrastructure around the pilgrimage route. She noted that enhanced arrangements have added to the comfort and spiritual experience of the yatris (pilgrims). Earlier in the day, as a fresh batch of pilgrims set off for the holy cave of Shri Amarnath Baba, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri stated that the Yatra was not just a religious one, but one of the people. He further stated that security forces, porters, tent service providers and others had been involved in the Yatra. 'This Yatra is not just a religious Yatra. It is a Yatra of the people. Security forces, 'pitthus', tent every service provider is involved in it... The enthusiasm among the devotees is unparalleled. I pray that everyone's wishes are fulfilled and there is peace and happiness in Kashmir and the rest of the country...' Bidhuri told ANI. A day earlier, Kashmir Police issued an advisory for devotees undertaking the Amarnath Yatra 2025, urging them to travel only in officially designated convoys. The advisory, released on Wednesday, directed all pilgrims to start their journey only from the authoriased base camps at Bhagwati Nagar (Jammu), Baltal and Nunwan. These routes have been designated to maintain better coordination, security, and medical assistance along the challenging mountainous route to the holy Amarnath shrine. 'All the pilgrims undertaking Shri Amarnathji Yatra 2025 are advised to travel only in designated convoys originating from Bhagwati Nagar, Baltal and Nunwan Base Camps,' Kashmir Police said in a post on X. (ANI)
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Business Standard
02-07-2025
- Business Standard
J&K L-G flags off first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims from Jammu
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday flagged off the first batch of Amarnath pilgrims numbering over 5,880 amid multi-tier security cover, marking the beginning of this year's pilgrimage. The 38-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre high shrine will commence on July 3 from the Valley via the twin tracks -- the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal district. A batch of 5,892 pilgrims, including 1,115 women, 31 children and 16 transgenders left the base camp in the first batch at 4.30 am to join the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, officials said. The yatra will conclude on August 9. More than 3.31 lakh devotees have registered so far for this year's Amarnath Yatra, officials said. The L-G performed pooja soon after his arrival at the high-security Bhagwati Nagar base camp and later flagged off the yatra for the twin base camps in Kashmir, officials said. Sinha was flanked by local MLAs, top officials and heads of various religious organisations during the flagging-off ceremony. "I have flagged off the first batch of pilgrims of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra from Bhagwati Nagar base camp. Wishing all spiritual seekers a safe and comfortable journey to the holy abode of Lord Shiva for a deeply soul-stirring experience. Prayed to Baba Amarnath for peace and blessings to all," Sinha said. "The devotees from all over the country are here. It feels like there is a big festival in Jammu city. The enthusiasm is very high. The devotees of Bholenath have defied all terror threats and are coming here in large numbers for darshan of Bholenath," Sinha added. On security, he said the yatra is being monitored 24x7 from the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Raj Bhawan and the Police Control Room, while an RFID-based tracking system has also been put in place. He said a 100-bed hospital has been constructed by ONGC at both the Chandanwari and Baltal Yatra base camps. He added that a board office and Yatri Niwas have been inaugurated in Srinagar. "We will also be inaugurating such a facility in Baltal on July 4," he said. "The facilities for devotees coming for the Amarnath Yatra have improved since 2022. Twin routes leading to the cave shrine of Amarnath used to be six feet wide, which are now twelve feet wide," he said. Amid chants of "Bum Bum Bhole" and "Har Har Mahadev", enthusiastic pilgrims numbering over 4,000 braved heavy rain as they left in a convoy of vehicles for Amarnath from Jammu, which was transformed into a city of divinity. Undeterred by the Pahalgam terrorist attack that left 26 people dead on April 22, the pilgrims said the increasing number of devotees thronging the yatra will send a befitting reply to terrorists and Pakistan -- that they do not fear them. Sarwanand Patel, a yatri from Gujarat who left in the first batch from Jammu, said, No matter how many attacks happen or how many bombs are hurled, devotees will not be deterred. We are not scared. Pilgrims will definitely come for darshan. I want to tell the nation that there is no need to be afraid. The large number of pilgrims is a befitting reply to them. Sunita, a teenage pilgrim from Uttar Pradesh, said they had planned to be part of the first batch and today it became a reality. We are happy to get darshan of Bholenath in the first batch. We are not scared because we know the security would be adequate. The arrangements are very good -- food, accommodation, sanitation, and all facilities, she said. Another devotee, Ramesh Chander, who has been travelling to Amarnath for the past nine years, praised the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board and the administration for making the best possible arrangements. These are the best arrangements. We pray that everybody gets darshan in peace. There is nothing to fear. The Army and other security forces are here to guard the yatra. The pilgrimage began from Jammu as a convoy ferried devotees to the twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal amid heavy security escort, traffic restrictions, and area domination along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, officials said. Traffic restrictions will be imposed on various routes from July 2 to August 9, and daily advisories will be issued to minimise inconvenience, a traffic officer said, adding that cut-off timings have been fixed for each sector on the highway, which is monitored through CCTV surveillance. Apart from the over 3.30 lakh yatris registered for this year's yatra, on-the-spot registration of devotees arriving for the pilgrimage has also started in Jammu, they said. Jammu has come under a security blanket with enhanced measures, including a multi-layered security grid and the use of technology for surveillance. Soon after the flagging off, J-K BJP President Sat Sharma said that thousands of devotees have come for the darshan of Baba Amarnath. The atmosphere created two months ago by the terror incident (in Pahalgam) has been replaced by religious fervour and divinity. People have faith that they are in safe hands in Jammu and Kashmir, Sharma said. The DIG of Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban range, Shridhar Patil, said that no drones or any other flying objects will be permitted along the yatra route without prior permission from the concerned deputy commissioner. All aerial activities in the area are prohibited to maintain tight security. Anyone violating this rule will face strict action, he warned.
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- The Hindu
L-G flags off first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims from Jammu amid multi-tier security
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) flagged off the first batch of Amarnath pilgrims numbering over 5,880 amid multi-tier security cover, marking the beginning of this year's pilgrimage from here. The 38-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre high shrine will commence on July 3 from the Valley via the twin tracks— the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal district. A batch of 5,892 pilgrims, including 1,115 women, 31 children and 16 transgenders left the base camp in the first batch at 4.30 a.m. to join the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, officials said. The yatra will conclude on August 9. More than 3.31 lakh devotees have registered so far for this year's Amarnath Yatra, officials said. The L-G performed pooja soon after his arrival at the high-security Bhagwati Nagar base camp and later flagged off the yatra for the twin base camps in Kashmir, officials said. Mr. Sinha was flanked by local MLAs, top officials and heads of various religious organisations during the flagging-off ceremony. "I have flagged off the first batch of pilgrims of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra from Bhagwati Nagar base camp. Wishing all spiritual seekers a safe and comfortable journey to the holy abode of Lord Shiva for a deeply soul-stirring experience. Prayed to Baba Amarnath for peace and blessings to all," Mr. Sinha said. "The devotees from all over the country are here. It feels like there is a big festival in Jammu city. The enthusiasm is very high. The devotees of Bholenath have defied all terror threats and are coming here in large numbers for darshan of Bholenath," Mr. Sinha added. On security, he said the yatra is being monitored 24x7 from the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Raj Bhawan and the Police Control Room, while an RFID-based tracking system has also been put in place. He said a 100-bed hospital has been constructed by ONGC at both the Chandanwari and Baltal Yatra base camps. He added that a board office and Yatri Niwas have been inaugurated in Srinagar. "We will also be inaugurating such a facility in Baltal on July 4," he said. "The facilities for devotees coming for the Amarnath Yatra have improved since 2022. Twin routes leading to the cave shrine of Amarnath used to be six feet wide, which are now twelve feet wide," he said. Amid chants of "Bum Bum Bhole" and "Har Har Mahadev", enthusiastic pilgrims numbering over 4,000 braved heavy rain as they left in a convoy of vehicles for Amarnath from Jammu, which was transformed into a city of divinity. Undeterred by the Pahalgam terrorist attack that left 26 people dead on April 22, the pilgrims said the increasing number of devotees thronging the yatra will send a befitting reply to terrorists and Pakistan— that they do not fear them. Sarwanand Patel, a yatri from Gujarat who left in the first batch from Jammu, said, 'No matter how many attacks happen or how many bombs are hurled, devotees will not be deterred. We are not scared. Pilgrims will definitely come for darshan. I want to tell the nation that there is no need to be afraid. The large number of pilgrims is a befitting reply to them.' Sunita, a teenage pilgrim from Uttar Pradesh, said they had planned to be part of the first batch and today it became a reality. 'We are happy to get darshan of Bholenath in the first batch. We are not scared because we know the security would be adequate. The arrangements are very good— food, accommodation, sanitation, and all facilities,' she said. Another devotee, Ramesh Chander, who has been travelling to Amarnath for the past nine years, praised the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board and the administration for making the best possible arrangements. 'These are the best arrangements. We pray that everybody gets darshan in peace. There is nothing to fear. The Army and other security forces are here to guard the yatra.' The pilgrimage began from Jammu as a convoy ferried devotees to the twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal amid heavy security escort, traffic restrictions, and area domination along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, officials said. Traffic restrictions will be imposed on various routes from July 2 to August 9, and daily advisories will be issued to minimise inconvenience, a traffic officer said, adding that cut-off timings have been fixed for each sector on the highway, which is monitored through CCTV surveillance. Apart from the over 3.30 lakh yatris registered for this year's yatra, on-the-spot registration of devotees arriving for the pilgrimage has also started in Jammu, they said. Jammu has come under a security blanket with enhanced measures, including a multi-layered security grid and the use of technology for surveillance. Soon after the flagging off, J&K BJP president Sat Sharma said that thousands of devotees have come for the darshan of Baba Amarnath. 'The atmosphere created two months ago by the terror incident (in Pahalgam) has been replaced by religious fervour and divinity. People have faith that they are in safe hands in Jammu and Kashmir,' Mr. Sharma said. The DIG of Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban range, Shridhar Patil, said that no drones or any other flying objects will be permitted along the yatra route without prior permission from the concerned deputy commissioner. 'All aerial activities in the area are prohibited to maintain tight security. Anyone violating this rule will face strict action,' he warned.
