Budha Amarnath Yatra: A Journey of Faith and Resilience Amid Tight Security

The 12-day 'Budha Amarnath' pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district starts with tight security on Tuesday. Despite previous attacks, the Bajrang Dal ensures the yatra's safety and ease. The annual pilgrimage, dating back to 2005, continues to bolster the morale of the Hindu community in the region.

The 12-day 'Budha Amarnath' pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch border district will kick off on Tuesday, marked by the flagging off of the first batch from Jammu under stringent security arrangements.

Security has been intensified across the border districts of Jammu, Poonch, and Rajouri in anticipation of the annual yatra, which is set to conclude on August 17. Authorities conducted comprehensive combing operations along the yatra route and in the hinterlands of Rajouri, Poonch, and Jammu districts to maintain a high alert status, officials reported.

The yatra will commence early tomorrow morning from Bhagwati Nagar towards Poonch amidst heavy security. Devotees will proceed towards Budha Amarnath, Bajrang Dal’s national convener, Neeraj Doneria, announced.

He mentioned that the yatra, originating in 2005 during periods of militancy, marks its 20th year. “During the 1990s, Hindu communities faced migration threats from areas like Poonch due to terrorism. However, the initiatives of Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal to commence the Budha Amarnath yatra curtailed the migration and uplifted the morale of Hindus in the region,” he added.

Despite six terrorist attacks on the yatra route last year, Bajrang Dal is determined to ensure the yatra proceeds smoothly and grandly. Doneria recounted how, in 1996, despite threats to stop the Amarnath Yatra, over 50,000 Bajrang Dal activists nationwide rallied to ensure the yatra continued uninterrupted.

Stringent security measures have been put in place in Rajouri and Poonch to guarantee a peaceful and incident-free yatra, with all boarding and lodging overseen by the administration, he said.

The Budha Amarnath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva in Rajpura village in Poonch’s Mandi tehsil, is among the oldest shrines in the Jammu region, attracting large numbers of devotees during the yatra. The pilgrimage culminates with the arrival of the 'Charri Mubarak' (holy mace) at the shrine from Dashnami Akhara Poonch.

The Pulsata river, considered sacred, flows by the temple where pilgrims customarily bathe before entering. Thousands of devotees undertake the yatra annually to pay homage at this renowned shrine of Lord Shiva.