Baba Amarnath's Yatra begins The first group of devotees leaves

- Jammu and Kashmir Vice Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off Yatri Niwas Bhavan Jammu and sent 'Shubh Yatra' to 3000 pilgrims

Jammu: The long awaited journey of Barfani Baba Amarnath has begun. It is learned that a large number of devotees have joined this time and it will be around 5,000. At Jammu Shibir (Yatri Niwas Bhavan), Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha waved a green flag, bade farewell to the pilgrims and wished them a 'Shubh Yatra' and the pilgrims left with Jai Barfani Baba.

Meanwhile, worship was also performed by Sinha. The enthusiasm of the devotees seemed unparalleled amidst cheers like Bum Bum Bhole and Jai Baba Barfani. The pilgrimage actually starts on July 20, when the pilgrims depart from the two routes of Amarnath. One road is 3 km from Pahalgaon. There is a long ‘Nun Van’. The other is only 15 km from Ganderbagh in central Kashmir.

Security is being beefed up due to fears of a terrorist threat. Each vehicle was thoroughly inspected before the first group left. The trains were allowed to leave after complete inquiries by various agencies. CRPF's Bike Squad Commandos are protecting the voyage. The international border and LAC are also being closely monitored. This is because Lashkar-e-Taiba has threatened to carry radio frequency identification tags on vehicles carrying passengers. The entire journey has been marked by armed forces at certain distances. The state administration has arranged for a record number of pilgrims to arrive this year.