Baltal base camp remains abuzz with activities ahead of Amarnath Yatra

Baltal, June 27: Baltal area of Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district which remains the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra is abuzz with different activities these days as the annual yatra is commencing in next few days.

Like every year hundreds of service providers, most of them local Kashmiris, who are the main facilitators have reached base camp Baltal, Dumail and cave route and are busy setting up makeshift tents and shops for few days. Besides these labourers, Ponywallas, Palkiwalas have also reached Baltal and are waiting for yatra to start.

   

Officials said that over 13000 labourers have so far registered for extension of services at Baltal. Assistant Labour Commissioner Ganderbal Arshid Ahmad Bhat told Greater Kashmir that more than 13,000 people, who transport pilgrims on ponies, pithus and palkis during the Amarnath Yatra, have registered for extension of services ahead of the annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine till date. He said that the registration was started by the department early this month.

Amid tight security arrangements put in place the annual Amarnath yatra will commence on July 1 from both sides of Pahalgam in South Kashmir and Baltal in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. Baltal route in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district is the shortest route. While pilgrims take a few days from the Pahalgam base camp to reach the cave shrine, those using the Baltal route return back to the base camp after the ‘Darshan’ the same day.

Hundreds of tent owners and shopkeepers have set up their establishments and have been eagerly waiting to receive Amarnath yatris. Several of ponywallas and laborers have also have reached Baltal and are seen preparing and equipping their horses for yatra. Pertinently, except some langars run by non locals, the Kashmir Muslims are the only service providers that facilitate the Amarnath yatra well.

Instrumental in the running of the annual pilgrimage is the role that the local Kashmiri Muslims have played over the years whatever the situation. Thousands of Kashmir Muslims join the Yatra, offering pilgrims’ services as workers, ponymen and palanquin-bearers thus helping aged pilgrims in climbing the difficult trek of Baltal up to the cave on a palanquin.

Hundreds of locals every year also put up stalls at the yatra base camps at Baltal in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and Pahalgam in south Kashmir offering different kinds of materials for the pilgrims. Besides being a business provider for the locals, the Amarnath Yatra also showcases the bonding between Kashmiris and the pilgrims. Every year lakhs of Hindu pilgrims visit the Amarnath cave shrine in Kashmir for the annual Amarnath yatra. The pilgrims coming for the yatra have to trek along treacherous mountains to reach the cave shrine located at an altitude of 12700 ft. “Amarnath Yatra is commencing in the next few days. We will be busy for more than a month taking Amarnath yatris to cave on horses. The horses have to trek the difficult path so we have to replace their metallic shoes with new ones,” said a ponywala Javeed Ahmad in Sonamarg.

Meanwhile, the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) and the UT administration has put in place elaborate security and other arrangements for smooth and peaceful conduct of annual Amarnath yatra. Lieutenant Governor Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha is personally monitoring the yatra and its arrangements.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

18 − 1 =