Let's See Kashmir: Amarnath Yatra- SANJY 2019

Pilgrimage to Barfani Baba- a Journey of Belief
With the blessings of Bhole Baba, I started writing about one of the most dangerous Journey of Belief in India, a pilgrimage to Barfani Baba- the AMARNATH YATRA. In series of articles I will be writing in detail about the 45days yatra of this year- SANJY 2019.
Amarnath Cave is situated in the region north of Pahalgam and south of the Zojila Pass in Kashmir.
It can be accessed through 2 routes – one from Pahalgam, district Anantnag (Nunwan) which is near 48km long. It takes yatris near 3-5 days from Nunwan to the Cave and back by foot. Prominent milestones on this route are Chandanwari, Pisu Top, Shesh Nag, Mahaganesh Top, Panchtarni and Sangam.

AMARNATH YATRA ROUTES

The other route is from Baltal, district Ganderbal, which is newer and shorter route of 18kms which can be completed in a day.

Both routes meet at Sangam from where there is a single path to the Cave.

BALTAL ROUTE

The high altitude routes to the Amarnath cave remain inaccessible and covered in snow until July. Only after July when the snow melts, can the route be prepared for the Yatra. It is traditionally started after Jyestha Purnima and continues for 45 days till Rakhi Purnima.

BABA BARFANI- First image #SANJY 2019

The Yatra terrain being a difficult one, people opt to hire a chopper or a horse or palanquin.

A Yatri on horse back

Yatris on Palanquins carried by 4 people

Choppers by UTC AIR for SANJY 2019

Several others prefer who prefer to walk, hold a dandi and hire porters/ pithoos to carry their luggage.

Horses carrying the luggage of the Yatris

A Man selling Dandis to the Yatris

Story of the Yatra

It is believed that Lord Shiva left his Nandi at Pahalgam - Bail Gaon.

Pahalgam- Lidder Valley

At Chandanwadi he released the moon from his hair.

CHANDANWADI

Arduous journey all along the way

On the banks of Sheshnag, he released his snakes.

Scenic Sheshnag

At Mahaganesh Parvat he left his son Lord Ganesh.

At Panjtarni Shiva left behind the five elements- Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Sky.

PISSU TOP

Then finally, sacrificing the worldly belongings, Shiva along with Paravati entered into the holy cave and told her the Amara Katha- a guide to attain salvation in secret.

The HOLY CAVE

No one was supposed to hear the secret to attain Moksha but a white pigeon hatched out from its egg hearing the story and it fled away.

From then the white pigeon or Dove is considered sacred and people who sight it on their way to the holy cave are believed to be blessed by Barfani Baba and will attain Moksha.

History of the Yatra

In 1850, during the Dogra rule a shepherd named Buta Malik of Batkote, a village near Pahalgam strayed into a cave while he was up in the mountains with his sheep. He saw the ice stalagmite and described it when he came back and the Hindus who heard about it concluded that it must be a Shiva Lingam.

Another legend says that while he had taken his sheep out to graze in the mountains, he met a man near the cave who gave him some coins, and when he came home, he saw that they had turned into gold. When Buta Mallik went back to the spot to meet the man, he instead found the ice stalagmite.

An exit gate at a base camp

The Yatra first received state patronage after the British sold Kashmir to the Dogra kings in 1846.

The Dogra rulers then invited a representative of the Dashnami Akhara from Varanasi to set up their institution in Kashmir, which was instituted in 1870 in Srinagar.During this time the practice of carrying the mace to the cave was also introduced. Since 2001, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) is tasked with the coordination of the Yatra.

Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board was formed by an Act passed in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on November 15, 2000, during the Governorship of G.C. Saxena. According to the Act, the Governor of the state of Jammu and Kashmir would be the ex-officio Chairman of the Board, if Hindu, and if not a Hindu he would nominate an eminent person who is a Hindu and fulfills requirements to be a member of the Board to be the Chair.

CHADI MUBARAK- place where Mace is placed for worship on the way

In February of each year, the SASB announces the opening of registration for the Amarnath Yatra.Potential yatris need to provide a Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC), which can be obtained after undergoing the prescribed health check up by empanelled doctors from government health institutions.

Yatris then need to register at SASB approved counters in their respective states which include banks and post offices. A sum of Rs. 100 is charged as registration fees.

Since 2014 the registration process also includes different colored passes for different days of week. The date that the yatri will start the Yatra and the point of entry (Baltal or Pahalgam) is mentioned. Yatris registered to travel on one route are not allowed to undertake the Yatra from the other route.

Spot registration counters also do exist.

Registration certificates- different colours on different days- Monday and Tuesday

The Yatra is conducted under security from the armed forces; Indian Army, Border Security Force(BSF),Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), as well as the Jammu & Kashmir Police (J&K Police), with Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and ITBP (Indo Tibetan Border Police) playing a limited role.

Force personnel assisting Sadhus at an entarnce gate

There are langars all along the way of the Yatra which provide free food of various cuisines which are rich in taste and varieties.

Bustling Bandaras all around

Philanthropists donate crores of rupees for these Bandaras and show their way of devotion to Barfani baba.

Yatris might not be willing to eat food cooked by locals due to religious reasons and therefore the role of the Bandaras is significant.

Food is FSSAI tested at Langars

At the base camp only food is for free, accommodation has to be purchased from SASB which arranges tents with all the minimum facilities for sustaining a night stay in cold weather on rent.

Tents by SASB for night stay

Public Toilets for the people who stay in tents

The significance of Amarnath Yatra extends much beyond personal level. It has cultural unity and vision of India from Kashmir to Kanyakuumari, from Kathiawar to Kamrup.