Umar Ganie captures glimpses from the Chhari-Mubarak procession as sadhus and devotees begin the final journey to the Amarnath cave shrine.
The Amarnath yatra is not only a great bondage between the Hindu pilgrims and local Muslims who facilitate the yatra, but has also helped maintained a deep relationship in thought and aspiration between Kashmir and other parts of India that has existed for thousands of years.
Mahant Deependra Giri reached the Amarnath cave shrine on August 28, 2026, leading the Chhari Mubarak after a traditional journey through the Himalayas via Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheshnag, and Panchtarni, culminating in the final puja on Shravan Purnima.
The defence minister's trip to the holy cave comes on the second day of his visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
At least eight persons were killed in a cloudburst near the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas on Friday evening, damaging 25 tents and three community kitchens, officials said.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) shall provide these facilities during Amarnath yatra this year, he said adding that a detailed plan was being prepared by the BSNL.
Over 500,000 pilgrims have so far visited the holy Amarnath cave shrine in the Himalayas, although only 3.50 lakh had registered themselves from different parts of the country for this year's yatra.
Roshan Lal Suthar, a resident of Pansal Dhileara area of Rajasthan, was missing since Tuesday and his body was found near the lower Holy Cave, they said.
A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said that due silence has to be maintained only in front of the ice stalagmite resembling the 'ShivaLinga'.
The sacred annual Amarnath Yatra has officially commenced, drawing thousands of devotees to the revered 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas under stringent security measures and comprehensive logistical support.
The green panel ordered removal of iron grills in front of the ice stalagmite resembling the 'Shiva Linga' so that devotees could get a better view of it and said there should be no noise pollution near the sacred structure.
Amid tight security, the Chhari Mubarak, the holy mace of Lord Shiva, left Srinagar on Monday, August 4, 2025 for the Amarnath cave shrine. This signifies the culmination of the annual Amarnath Yatra.
Weather affects the shape and size of the icelingam.
With over 180,000 pilgrims visiting the holy cave shrine so far, the two-month long annual Amarnath Yatra is on in full swing these days.
Authorities on Sunday temporarily suspended the Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir as well as the pilgrimages to the Mata Vaishno Devi and Shiv Khori shrines in Jammu after the India meteorological department (IMD) forecast of widespread rainfall across the Union Territory over the next few days.
Pilgrims begin their trek towards the Amarnath cave from the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
The revered Chhari Mubarak, the holy mace of Lord Shiva, reached Pahalgam on Saturday, August 9, 2025, marking the start of traditional rituals associated with the Amarnath Yatra.
According to the IMD, a rain event is categorised as a cloudburst if a weather station receives 100 mm of rain in one hour.
Shri Amarnath Shrine Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Naveen Choudhary on Saturday said, "from 7th May on wards, the interested Yatris can reserve their heli-seats for Amarnath yatra through the web based on-line Reservation System by logging on to the Shrine Board's website".
The holy lingam (phallic symbol of Shiva) at the shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas melted 10 days back, Chief Executive Officer (Ecology), Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, Arun Kumar told PTI.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of 4,890 pilgrims from the Jammu base camp.
The first batch of pilgrims proceed towards the holy cave shrine on the first day of the annual Amarnath Yatra, July 3, 2025.
The annual Amarnath yatra began on Tuesday amid tight security with devotees leaving for the cave shrine from Jammu.
The Amarnath Yatra has been suspended from Jammu due to inclement weather conditions and no fresh batch was allowed to proceed from Jammu to the base camps of the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.
Ganderbal's Senior Superintendent of Police Nikhil Borkar accompanied by a team of senior officers inspected the Amarnath Yatra route from Baltal to the Shri Amarnath Cave temple in Ganderbal on Sunday.
The Amarnath yatra is not only a great bondage between the Hindu pilgrims and local Muslims who facilitate the yatra, but has also helped maintained a deep relationship in thought and aspiration between Kashmir and other parts of India that has existed for thousands of years.
Their enthusiasm evident in the loud chants of 'Bam Bam Bhole'.
It is an age-old tradition to take the holy mace to different temples to perform religious rituals before finally taking it to the holy Amarnath cave on the day of Rakshabandan.
With this batch as many as 53,995 yatris from different parts of the country have left for the cave shrine since the commencement of yatra on June 10.
One more pilgrim on Monday died while returning from 3,880-mt high Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, taking the death toll in the ongoing yatra to 98.
Authorities on Friday suspended Amarnath yatra from Jammu in view of the continued strike in Kashmir Valley over transfer of forest land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. The devotees were not allowed to proceed from Bhagwati Nagar base camp to the Amarnath cave shrine of Lord Shiva in the Kashmir Himalayas.
At least 15,000 pilgrims, who were stranded near the Amarnath holy cave in Jammu and Kashmir due to a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst, have been shifted to the lower base camp of Panjtarni, an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) spokesperson said on Saturday.
The Amarnath Yatra has been suspended on both Pahalgam and Baltal routes due to heavy rains in Kashmir. Authorities have halted the pilgrimage from base camps, affecting the movement of pilgrims.
Of these, 64,993 pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine till Tuesday evening, while over 1,500 had darshan on Wednesday morning.
Mahant Deependra Giri, the custodian of the holy mace, accompanied by over 100 'sadhus' reached the shrine with the Charri Mubarak this morning, Shri Amarnath Shrine Board officials said.
The Amarnath Yatra has been suspended due to heavy rainfall in the Kashmir Valley. The pilgrimage was halted from both Pahalgam and Baltal base camps due to continuous heavy rains, necessitating restoration work on the tracks. A weather advisory has warned of more heavy rain in the region.
Eleven persons, including 10 devotees, have died due to medical reasons during the ongoing pilgrimage to Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.
A cloudburst hit the the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas but there was no report of any casualties.
The first batch of pilgrims reached Kashmir on Friday for the annual Amarnath Yatra, beginning Saturday, with J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagging off 4,603 yatris in the morning from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu under a tight security cover.
