Bandipora (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 28 (ANI): The annual Chota Amarnath Yatra was officially flagged off from Kaloosa in Bandipora district on Friday amid tight security, with around 108 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country participating in the pilgrimage.
The yatra was flagged off by Additional Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Zaffar Hussain along with SSP Bandipora Aijaz Zargar. The administration and security agencies had made arrangements in advance to ensure the safe and smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.
The approximately 15-km yatra will begin from Kaloosa and proceed towards Arin Dardpora, from where pilgrims will trek through Shamthan towards the Chota Amarnath Cave, situated in the dense forests of Arin.
Besides local Kashmiri Pandits, devotees from different parts of the country have also joined this year’s pilgrimage.
Speaking about her experience, Preeti, a pilgrim from Jammu who is participating in the yatra for the first time, appreciated the arrangements made by the administration and the security provided to the devotees.
“We will live together with peace and brotherhood,” she said, expressing hope that the pilgrimage would further strengthen the spirit of harmony in the region.
Yatra organiser Opender Krishan Koul recalled the atmosphere of communal harmony and brotherhood associated with the pilgrimage before the 1990s.
Koul said the Chota Amarnath Yatra had historically formed part of Kashmir’s shared social fabric and expressed hope that the tradition would regain greater strength in the years ahead.
He appealed to devotees who had participated in the yatra before the 1990s but had not returned since then to come back and join the pilgrimage.
Koul also encouraged people who have never participated in the yatra to become part of it in the coming years, saying their participation would help revive the tradition of peace and brotherhood associated with the pilgrimage.
Sunail Raina, a pilgrim from Delhi, also spoke about the importance of Kashmiri Pandits reconnecting with their homeland. He expressed hope that the situation in Kashmir would continue to improve, allowing more members of the community to return.
A Kashmiri Pandit woman participating in the pilgrimage thanked the district administration for making arrangements for the devotees. She said pilgrims were excited to reach the holy cave and would pray for peace and brotherhood.
The district administration, along with concerned departments, volunteers and security personnel, put in place arrangements covering security, coordination and other facilities required during the pilgrimage.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Zaffar Ahmad said the administration had worked with various departments to ensure that all necessary arrangements were completed ahead of the yatra.
He said efforts had been made to ensure the pilgrims’ safety and provide support throughout their journey to the cave.
The flag-off ceremony was attended by officers from the district administration, volunteers and senior citizens.
The annual pilgrimage is being seen not only as a religious journey but also as an occasion highlighting Kashmir’s traditions of communal harmony, with organisers and participants hoping that the yatra will continue to strengthen the bonds of peace and brotherhood in the region. (ANI)