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Pahalgam: On Wednesday, the seventh group of pilgrims left the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam for the Amarnath Yatra. In addition to praying for peace and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir, devotees expressed their happiness with the preparations.

Images from the location showed people setting off on their spiritual pilgrimage to Lord Amarnath’s sacred cave shrine.

Bhopal pilgrim Deepa praised the preparations for the Yatra and promised to pray for everyone’s health.

“The atmosphere here is so upbeat… I’ll offer my prayers for everyone’s health. I hope everyone remains healthy.” This place has excellent arrangements,” she told the media report.

Similar sentiments were expressed by another Delhi devotee, Kamal. “I’ll offer up prayers for everyone’s well-being and tranquility. This place has excellent arrangements,” he said.

In the meanwhile, pilgrims are still assisted by free langar (community kitchen) facilities, particularly at the Jammu base camp and a number of other places along the National Highway.

“We have been operating this langar for nearly 17 years, and it’s a totally free service,” said Virender Kumar Sharma, who has been in charge of organizing the facility for the last 17 years. People go from far and wide, and those who do come here are devoted to it and donate. Although there are other langars in the city, we operate this one for free and ask no payment.

Siddharth Agrawal, a first-time pilgrim, commended the security forces’ efforts along the path. “This is my first time here. The military is doing a great job for us, even in spite of recent events. Without their help, we may not have had the guts to come here. Since they are armed and standing here, we are free to go around. “I salute the J-K Police and the CRPF,” he said.

On July 3, 2025, the 38-day yearly pilgrimage to the 3,880-meter-high sacred cave shrine in South Kashmir, known as Amarnath, started. It will end on August 9, 2025, which is also Raksha Bandhan.

Both the Pahalgam route (Anantnag district) and the Baltal route (Ganderbal district) are being used for the pilgrimage at the same time.

Devotees honor an ice stalagmite said to represent Lord Shiva’s lingam during the annual Amarnath Yatra trip to the Amarnath cave.

In July and August, when hundreds of Hindu pilgrims visit the cave annually, the ice stalagmite reaches its largest size. It develops every year throughout the summer months.