Pilgrims Defy Terror, Flock to Amarnath Yatra Post-Attack

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Jammu, Jun 30 (PTI) – Despite fears surrounding the gruesome April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, hundreds of pilgrims from across India gathered at the registration center in Jammu on the first day of the Amarnath Yatra.

"Bullets and bombs cannot stop us from having Baba Barfani's darshan," said Devakar Kadam from Mumbai, as he prepared for his 11th pilgrimage to the revered cave shrine.

The Saraswati Dham registration center near the Jammu railway station witnessed an unexpected surge of devotees on the very first day. Many attendees expressed that the increased turnout was a strong rejoinder to the Pakistan-backed militants who carried out the attack in Pahalgam, killing 26 individuals, mainly tourists, after religious profiling.

Amid chants of "Bam Bam Bole" and "Jai Baba Barfani," several pilgrims mentioned that they chose the Pahalgam route as a tribute to those lost in the attack.

"We are very enthusiastic. Our group of 26 members is extremely happy, and we want to be part of the first batch to have the darshan of Amarnath ji. We have no fear.

No matter what happens, the enthusiasm for the Amarnath Yatra cannot be diminished," said Kadam, emphasizing the unyielding spirit despite the attacks.

The 38-day pilgrimage to the sacred cave of Amarnath, located at an altitude of 3,880 meters in the South Kashmir Himalayas, is set to begin on July 3. Two tracks are available: the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district.

Authorities have arranged extensive security for the Yatra.

The first group of pilgrims will depart for Kashmir from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on July 2.

Another devotee, Mumta Deshmukh, mentioned that they arrived late at night and were standing in line since early morning for on-the-spot registration tokens.

"This time, it is not only a pilgrimage for Baba Barfani’s darshan but also to pay tribute to those killed in Pahalgam by terrorists. By undertaking the yatra from Pahalgam, we are sending a message to terrorists — that we do not fear them," she stated.

Kadam added, "Even if bullets are fired or bombs explode, we will surely have Baba’s darshan. We pledge to be part of the first batch of every future yatra as well."

Sarita Ghosh from Kolkata, part of a large group of 95, commented on the heightened enthusiasm this year.

"This clearly shows that people are giving a befitting reply to those trying to spread fear. Compared to last year, twice the number of people will come this time—and fear will be defeated," she said.

Nirohotum Kumar from Assam stated that tragedy cannot deter them, expressing their firm dedication and faith.

He underscored the importance of large participation as a morale boost for soldiers.

Bighirath Sharma from Surat, leading a 30-member group, including 25 from Kashi, said, "Do you see any fear among the people here? At least 30,000 people gathered today for tokens—on the first day alone." This massive turnout, he asserted, was proof against fear.

A significant number of devotees were left disappointed after failing to secure tokens for the initial batch of the pilgrimage.

Joginder Singh from Uttar Pradesh expressed dismay after waiting for hours without success.

He criticized the limited quota, suggesting a system should be in place for issuing next-day tokens.

Meanwhile, some frustrated attendees clashed with police personnel after failing to secure a token.

Surendra Singh from Punjab deemed the process unfair and advocated for a pre-issued multi-day quota.

Starting Tuesday, three registration centers—Vaishnavi Dham, Panchayat Bhawan, and Mahajan Hall—will facilitate offline registrations in Jammu.

Only pilgrims with tokens from the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board will be entertained, said Sub-Divisional Magistrate Manu Hansa.

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