Srinagar, July 31 (NationPress) Following the clearance for Yatris to proceed towards the sacred cave shrine from the Baltal base camp on Thursday, the annual Amarnath Yatra 2025 has surpassed the four lakh milestone.

The Lieutenant Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha, who chairs the Shri Amarnath ji Shrine Board (SAAB), shared this remarkable news on his X account.

“Baba Amarnath makes the impossible, possible. With his blessings, the Holy Yatra today crossed the figure of 4 Lakh. I bow to Lord Shiva for this miracle and express my gratitude to everyone involved in making the holy pilgrimage a divine experience for devotees,” he posted on X.

He described this divine journey as "incomparable not because it's arduous and challenging but because it's an inimitable journey into pure bliss".

"It's a spiritual experience & gives devotees the chance to discover themselves, filling their hearts with boundless gratitude," the L-G elaborated.

The L-G emphasized that the historic number of darshans and the influx of devotees from around the nation and the world highlight India's unity and resilience against adversity.

"I am sincerely grateful to the devotees, who have shown unwavering faith and enriched our invaluable spiritual heritage," he noted.

Movement from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu was halted on Thursday morning for track maintenance from Pahalgam to the cave shrine. However, later that day, devotees were permitted to proceed from the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district.

This year’s Yatra is witnessing a significant surge of devotees, occurring after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local, at the hands of three terrorists affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

All three Pakistani terrorists, including Suleman Shah and his associates, Abu Hamza and Jibran Bhai, were neutralized by joint forces on July 28 during Operation Mahadev in the upper areas of Dachigam National Park in Srinagar.

Yatris can reach the cave shrine via the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route.

Those trekking from Pahalgam typically take four days to arrive, while those using the Baltal base camp can return on the same day after their darshan.

The cave shrine, located at 3888 meters above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas, features an ice stalagmite that changes in size with the moon phases.

Devotees believe this ice formation symbolizes the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

This year’s Yatra commenced on July 3 and will conclude on August 9, coinciding with the Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festival. The fact that over four lakh devotees have participated thus far is a testament to the triumph of faith over terror.