With the beginning of the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra (SANJY)-2026, the Baltal — the base camp of the pilgrimage in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir wore a festive look. The base camp at Baltal on the banks of the nallah Sindh remains active round the clock. Around midnight daily, the huge sprawling camp, guarded heavily by security forces, starts bustling.
Pilgrims from various parts of the country board their buses and travel on the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu national highway to Baltal and Pahalgam base camps in south Kashmir.
Once you reach Baltal base camp after going through a couple of checking points you come across the festive fervour. Well-lit and decorated ‘Langars’ with loudspeakers blaring bhajans greet you. The lost and found announcements also add to the festivities and are abuzz with Mahesh from Delhi looking for Ramesh.
At base camp here is a full-fledged market run by Muslims and Non-Muslims both selling ‘puja Samagri and other stuff. You pass through and they call out ‘Bhole puja ka saman le lo, Nahane Ka Garam Pani free, Saaman Rakhna free’. The scene here is a real show of communal harmony.
The fearlessness and enthusiasm of the pilgrims can be seen during the arrival and stay at base camps with the whole area also reverberate with the chants of ‘Bam Bam Bholey.’
The pilgrims are seen freely moving around the base camp busy clicking pictures buying different kind of things available in the market. The Langars (community kitchens) set up for the Yatris see a huge rush. The common sight at Baltal is of the Kashmiri Muslims who are the major local service providers to Amarnath pilgrims during the annual yatra. The local service providers mostly consist of those people who have installed their kiosks and tents for Yatris and are seen eagerly waiting to receive them. Mostly local Muslims are the major service providers in Baltal and Pahalgam. The Pony Wallas, tent owners, shopkeepers, labourers and others mostly local Muslims offer services to Amarnath pilgrims during yatra. “We have always welcomed the Amarnath pilgrims who are our guests. The yatra is not only just business or earning livelihood for us,” Bilal Ahmad Mir a local service provider said.
“We are very excited about the yatra. I am coming for the second time but my each visit to the shrine makes me more excited,” said Suresh Sharma, a pilgrim from Delhi.
The Yatris were very enthusiastic to see the arrangements in place. They were happy too as the locals are extending full support and coordination to the Yatris. “With every passing year, the facilities and arrangements for the pilgrims have been improving” the pilgrims said.
They said that Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) and J&K administration has made the pilgrimage more comfortable and smooth,” a group of Yatris said.
Meanwhile, Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), UT administration has made all the arrangements for the annual yatra. Besides heightened security arrangements have been made to ensure a peaceful yatra.
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