Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, June 30: As the two -month long holy Amarnath yatra begins tomorrow, the first batch of pilgrims is all set to leave for cave shrine from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here, early morning under tight security arrangements.
Hundreds of Yatris have reached here from different parts of the country to leave for the darshan of Ice Lingam in holy cave of Lord Shiva situated at an altitude of 3888 meters in deep Himalayas in South Kashmir district of Anantnag.
The first batch of yatris after a night halt at base camps of Nunwan in Pahalgam area of South Kashmir and Baltal in Sonamarg area of Central Kashmir will leave for darshan of Ice Lingam on July 2 from there.
The authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the pilgrims at Yatri Niwas and up to holy cave. Scores of Langers have been installed right from Lakhanpur to cave shrine for service of yatris by philanthropist organizations. While one free langer has already been established at Yatri Niwas, others have been set up outside it as well as main road at Bhagwati Nagar.
There is a total hustle and bustle at Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas and on the main road in the area. The entire area gives a festive look with buses and other vehicles carrying pilgrims from different parts of country have started reporting from early morning.
There were huge queues of pilgrims including men, women and children seen from early morning in front of Yatri Niwas gate waiting for their entry inside. Some yatris were chanting bhajans in praise of Lord Shiva while others were seen dancing to the beating of drums.
The first batch will be flagged off by Minister of Health and Medical Education, Ch. Lal Singh in presence of legislators and senior civil and police officers as well as leaders of various social and religious organizations.
The authorities have made elaborate security arrangements for the pilgrims’ right from Lakhanpur to holy cave, said DIG Jammu-Kathua Range Ashkoor Wani. He said every thing is in place and to review the arrangements the team of senior officers led by Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Pawan Kotwal, IG Jammu, Danish Rana, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu Simranjit Singh and other officers visited Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas and other places to review the arrangements.
The Divisional Commissioner also held a meeting to review the yatra arrangements with senior civil and police officers in the day.
Entire Yatri Niwas and Bhagwati Nagar area has been sanitized with the CRPF and J&K Police taking the full charge of security inside and outside the Yatri Niwas in close coordination with other security agencies.
Reports reaching here from Kashmir valley said that there is a hustle and bustle at Nunwan and Baltal base camps also where the langer wallas, traders and various Government agencies have established their tents and sheds for the service of pilgrims.
Director Tourism, R K Verma said that the arrangements are totally in place and on spot registration has also started at five places in the State including Jammu Hat, Gita Bhawan/Ram Mandir, Purani Mandi, Vaishnavi Dham and Saraswati Dham at Railway road and TRC, Nowgam in Srinagar district of Kashmir valley.
Besides, medicare facilities, the information centers have been established for the pilgrims every where, he said.
The Yatris who reached here early this morning especially those who are going for darshan for the first time were enthusiastic to reach holy cave as early as possible. Some yatris have come in groups of 30 to 40 people from various States.
A group of 26 pilgrims from Bengal which reached Bhagwati Nagar this morning said that they will leave for darshan via Baltal track tomorrow as they have paucity of time and have come under pilgrimage tour package to perform darshan at other religious shrines of North India.
Tarun Barman from Bengal who is visiting holy cave for seventh consecutive time this year said that every time he visited the holy cave his wishes and desires got fulfilled.
The Yatra besides having religious sanctity is also an adventure tour and physical treatment, said Jaiparkash Sharma a pilgrim from UP who is visiting cave shrine for third consecutive term this time.
About one thousand pilgrims had reached the Yatri Niwas by this evening while hundreds of pilgrims were staying outside the Yatri Niwas and all of them are set to leave for cave shrine early morning tomorrow.
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