2023 Amarnath Yatra: Everything you need to know

AGRITA CHHIBBER

It is of utmost significance for Hindu devotees who aspire to make the Amarnath Yatra at least once in their lifetime.

The Amarnath Yatra, which takes place between the months of June and August, attracts lakhs of people each year.

The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board is in charge of organizing this pilgrimage. The 62-day yatra will start in this year’s calendar on July 1 and end on August 31. Both routes—the Pahalgam track in the Anantnag district and the Baltal in the Ganderbal district—will start the yatra at the same time.

The purpose of the yatra is to travel to Amarnath Cave, one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage destinations. It is regarded as one of the most sacred shrines of Lord Shiva and is situated at a height of 3,888 metres in Srinagar.

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Significance:

The Amarnath Cave is only accessible during this particular season of the year. According to the Hindu calendar, the Yatra occurs during the Shravani Mela in the Shravan month.

The 46 kilometre Amarnath Yatra is thought to test the devotion and belief of the pilgrims who swarm the place every year. A visit to the location is thought to atone for a sin committed in this world. Legend has it that Lord Shiva picked the cave to tell Goddess Parvati the truth about immortality and the universe’s creation.

Additionally, a shepherd by the name of Buta Malik is credited with discovering the cave. When Buta Malik returned home after receiving a bundle of coal from a saint, he was shocked to find gold coins instead of coal, according to the tradition.

He returned to the spot where he had first encountered the saint in order to express his gratitude, but instead discovered the cave containing the ice lingam. The Lord Shiva-representing ice lingam is created by a trickle of water that emerges from a crack in the cave’s ceiling.

Other epics, however, present a different narrative. According to the legend, Kashyap Rishi emptied the Kashmir valley through a number of rivers and rivulets when it was drowned in water.

Bhrigu Rishi travelled to the Himalayas at the same time and was the first to see the revered Amarnath Cave.

Journey Begins:

The first group of pilgrims set off for Amarnath Cave from Baltal base camp in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal on Saturday to start the annual Amarnath Yatra. Senior members of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board and the police, together with Deputy Commissioner of Ganderbal, Shyambir, flagged off the Yatra at the Baltal base camp.

For the Amarnath Yatra 2023, the first group of pilgrims arrived at Baltal base camp on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal. At the Tikri Kali Mata Temple in the Udhampur district of Jammu & Kashmir, they were welcomed by the district administration. One of the two routes for the yearly pilgrimage is Baltal, located in the Ganderbal area of central Kashmir; the other is the Pahalgam route, located in the Anantnag district of south Kashmir.

Kashmir and Jammu Early on Friday morning, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha led the first group of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims out of the Jammu base camp. Several “langar” committees began practising on Wednesday, three days before the Yatra, to accommodate the pilgrims.

On the Jammu Srinagar National Highway in the Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, the committees prepared sheds, cooking supplies, and other basic materials. This year, a total of 22 langars have been set up along the NHW-44 in various locations. On Thursday, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited Yatri Niwas in Bhagwati Nagar and examined the preparations made for the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra pilgrims.

In the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, the committees prepared sheds, cooking supplies, and other basic goods. This year, there have been 22 langars set up along the NHW-44 in various locations. Visiting Yatri Niwas in Bhagwati Nagar on Thursday, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha looked over the preparations made for the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra pilgrims.

The following is a list of safety precautions for visitors provided by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board:

*Do get in shape before the Yatra by beginning a daily morning and evening walk of about 4-5 kilometres at least one month before the Yatra.

*Begin deep breathing techniques and yoga, especially pranayama, to increase your body’s ability to utilise oxygen.

*If you have any pre-existing ailments, check with your doctor before travelling to higher altitudes.

*On steep inclines, you should go slowly as you rise and give yourself some time to acclimatise and relax.

Agrita Chhibber is from Jammu

Images from different sources

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