Jammu ADGP flags off first batch of Budha Amarnath Yatra pilgrims
1,338 pilgrims, including 907 men and 411 women, left for the shrine in Poonch district in a convoy of 29 vehicles, escorted by paramilitary forces
The 10-day Budha Amarnath Yatra began on Friday with additional director general of police, Jammu range, Mukesh Singh flagging off a batch of 1,338 pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp for the shrine in the Mandi area of Poonch district.
The 1,338 pilgrims, including 907 men, 411 women and 20 children, left for the shrine in Rajpura village in a convoy of 29 vehicles, escorted by paramilitary forces, officials said.
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Representatives of religious and social organisations, including Vishva Hindu Parishad national general secretary Vinayakrao Deshpande and Bajrang Dal national convener Neeraj Doneria, attended the flagging-off ceremony.
Before the yatra was flagged off, a puja was performed amid the chanting of shlokas and mantras.
ADGP Singh said adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure a smooth pilgrimage.
The Budha Amarnath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the oldest shrines in the Jammu region and attracts a large number of devotees during the annual pilgrimage, which concludes with the arrival of Charri Mubarak (holy mace) at the shrine from the Dashnami Akhara in Poonch.
The Pulsata river flows by the temple and devotees bathe in it before entering the temple.
