Amarnath Yatra 2026: Thousands Pilgrims Reach Baba Barfani Shrine; Third Convoy Of Pilgrims Flagged Off On Saturday
· Free Press Journal
The annual Amarnath Yatra 2026 continues to witness an overwhelming response from devotees, with thousands of pilgrims visiting the sacred Amarnath Cave Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir to seek the blessings of Baba Barfani, the naturally formed ice Shivling believed to represent Lord Shiva.
In Pics:
Indian Army personnel unfurl a high mast National Flag at Chandanwari, the gateway to the annual 'Amarnath Yatra', in Anantnag district, Jammu And Kashmir#AmarnathYatra | #IndianArmy | #Tiranga pic.twitter.com/gDXyzf6LKLVisit h-doctor.club for more information.
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 4, 2026
Third batch of Amarnath pilgrims departs
As the pilgrimage gathered pace, the third batch of pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu under tight security arrangements. The third batch of 4,812 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims departed on Saturday, heading to the Pahalgam and Baltal routes. The batch included 966 women, 244 sadhus, and 157 sadhvis. More than 12,000 devotees offered prayers on the yatra's opening day, with 13,499 pilgrims having left Jammu since July 2.
The convoy, comprising hundreds of vehicles carrying devotees, left in the early hours for the twin routes of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district.
VIDEO | Jammu: A fresh batch of over 6,700 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp for the Amarnath shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas under tight security. pic.twitter.com/9CpEhrEj5B
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 5, 2026
Tight security arrangements
The Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), along with the Jammu and Kashmir administration, has made extensive arrangements to ensure the safety and comfort of pilgrims. Multi-layered security, medical camps, RFID tracking, weather monitoring, accommodation facilities, and langars have been set up along both routes.
Despite the challenging mountainous terrain and unpredictable weather conditions, devotees from across India continue to undertake the spiritually significant journey with great enthusiasm. Many pilgrims described the darshan of the holy ice Shivling as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, expressing gratitude for the smooth arrangements.
Amarnath Yatra 2026: First Batch Of Pilgrims Arrives At Jammu Base Camp; Lt Governor Manoj Sinha To Flag Off The Convoy On Thursday| A Border Roads Organisation (@BROindia) person undertakes maintenance and upgradation works on the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra route under Project Beacon in Anantnag district of #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/8prcIDCLio
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) July 3, 2026
About Amarnath
The Amarnath Yatra is one of Hinduism's most revered pilgrimages and is held annually during the Shravan month. The naturally occurring ice formation inside the cave waxes and wanes with the lunar cycle and is worshipped as a manifestation of Lord Shiva.