Baltal, June 30: With the beginning of the Amarnath Yatra, Baltal — a base camp of the yatra in Ganderbal district wore a festive look.
The base camp at Baltal on the banks of the Nallah Sindh remains operational round the clock.
Around midnight daily, the huge sprawling camp, guarded heavily by security forces, starts bustling. Yatris 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.
On reaching Baltal base camp after going through a couple of checkpoints, the yatris witness the festive fervour.
Well-lit and decorated ‘langars’ with loudspeakers blaring bhajans greet the yatris.
A full-fledged market at the base camp comprises langars (community kitchens) and makeshift shops operated by Muslims who sell ‘Puja’ material and other stuff.
The enthusiasm of the yatris can be seen during the arrival and stay at the base camps.
The yatris are seen freely moving around the base camp busy clicking pictures and buying different kinds of things available in the market.
The langars set up for the yatris witness a huge rush.
Many yatris said that they were very enthusiastic about the yatra and had no fear at all in their minds.
“There is no fear in our mind. The arrangements made by the government and the administration here are satisfying,” said Kamal Mishra, a yatri from Ahmedabad.
The common sight at Baltal is of Kashmiri Muslims who are the major local service providers to the Amarnath yatris.
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.
“I am excited about the yatra. I am visiting for the second time but each visit to the shrine makes me excited,” said Suresh Sharma, a yatri from Delhi.
After leaving the Baltal base camp for the Amarnath cave shrine, the yatris take the shorter 14-km route, which has a steep gradient and is difficult to climb.
It starts from Baltal and passes through Domial, Barari, and Sangam before reaching the cave shrine.
The yatris reach the cave shrine on foot or by a chopper with the majority of the yatris preferring pony rides or palanquins.
Local Muslims are seen carrying yatris either on ponies or on their shoulders.
Kashmiri Muslims are seen advising pedestrians yatris to stick to the hill end and not move on the valley end, lest they fall.
Enroute, there are many tea stalls with photographs of Shiv Lingam on the hoardings of almost every shop.