Photo Story by Basit Zargar

The hills of Pahalgam-Baltal resonated with the slogans of Har Har Mahadev and Bam Bom Bhole, as the pilgrims filled with devotion, and enthusiastic local service providers set out on the arduous 35-km pilgrimage to the Cave of Lord Shiva at Amarnath for annual pilgrimage.

The combination of devotion and service and the hawk-like vigil of the security forces against terrorists trying to sneak in to disrupt what is the most iconic heritage pilgrimage of Kashmir took the Himalayan pilgrimage to another level.

A devotee who reached the Baltal base camp and is on the Amarnath Yatra for the 14th consecutive time, praised the Yatra management.

He said, "I am from Sangrur in Punjab. I come every year to visit Bhole Baba. The arrangements are excellent this time too. There is no need to hurry... the government has made every arrangement very well."

A soldier monitoring the second group on the Amarnath Yatra

A devotee from West Bengal, who was part of the first group that left from Pahalgam base camp , expressed his feelings and said, "We are very happy. We have no fear. Both our government and army are very good." Another traveler from the same group expressed deep respect and said, "Whatever we have is of Bhole Baba... we are just at his feet. The arrangements are very good."

Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri also praised the enthusiasm of the devotees and said, "This is not just a religious journey, but a great sacrifice of service, security and dedication. Security forces, porters, service providers - everyone is involved in it.

The enthusiasm of the devotees is truly unmatched. I wish that everyone's wishes are fulfilled and peace and prosperity prevail in the entire country including Kashmir."

Kavita Saini from Delhi, who is making her first Amarnath Yatra, also shared her experience. She said, "This is my first yatra and the experience was unforgettable. From medical certificate and registration to security – we got support everywhere. Delhi Police and Kashmir Police supported us completely. I pray that peace prevails in the country and what happened recently should never happen again."

This holy pilgrimage, which will last for 38 days, will start from July 3 and will continue till August 9. Devotees will travel towards the holy cave through two main routes – the first is the 48 km long traditional Pahalgam route (in district Anantnag), and the second is the 14 km shorter but difficult climb Baltal route (in district Ganderbal).

The first batch of pilgrims left from Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on 2 July.  Given the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025, this time the security arrangements have been made unprecedentedly strict. More than 50,000 CRPF, army, and police personnel have been deployed on the entire Yatra route.

Amarnath pilgrims moving forward with full courage

The forces are using state-of-the-art technologies like drones, CCTV cameras, jammers, and facial recognition systems to ensure foolproof security.

Medical teams, air ambulances, and emergency evacuation mechanisms are in complete readiness at different stops of the pilgrim's trek for emergencies.

ALSO READ: Kashmiri environmentalist Manzoor Wangnoo revives twin lakes in Srinagar

This Yatra is not only an example of faith, but also a unique reflection of the joint efforts of the government, the army, and the society – where devotion, service, and security are going together, and by the grace of Bholenath, there is only one feeling in the heart of every pilgrim – “Bam Bam Bhole!”