Amarnath yatra: Here's a list of do's and don'ts; 52-day pilgrimage to commence from June 29

Amarnath Yatra: With devotees, Sadhus and Sadhvis eagerly waiting to commence the Amarnath Yatra, the government in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday welcomed pilgrims and shared crucial guidelines to be followed for their safe journey during the 52-day long pilgrimage.

The pilgrimage to the Amarnath Shrine located at the far end of the Lidder Valley will commence on June 29 and conclude on August 19.

The yatra to pay obeisance at the 3,880-meter-high cave shrine in south Kashmir will commence from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-kilometre Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag or the 14 km shorter but steep Baltal route in Ganderbal.

Do's for the Yatris

– Collect his/her RFID Card from designated locations in J&K before embarking on the yatra.

– Mandatorily wear the RFID cards issued by SASB at all times during the yatra.

– Wear comfortable clothes during the pilgrimage. 

– Yatris are advised to wear trekking shoes. 

– Yatris are advised to walk slowly while ascending and take time to acclimatise themselves.

– Drink an adequate quantity of water and stay hydrated.

- Contact the nearest medical facility if experiencing shortness of breath/ discomfort, and try to descend to a lower altitude, if possible.

Don'ts for the Yatris

–  No yatri is allowed to enter the Yatra area without an RFID card.

– Yatris must avoid exerting themselves beyond their capacities and take frequent breaks and rests en route.

– Yatris must avoid polluting the environment by littering waste material along the trekking route and in the surrounding areas.

– Yatris are advised not to commence the journey on an empty stomach.

– Yatris must avoid drinking alcohol, caffeinated drinks and smoking.

– Yatris should not attempt to take any shortcuts en route and watch out for “danger zone” signages where they must move cautiously.

Spot registration

The administration began the process for on-the-spot registration of devotees on Thursday.

– For unregistered pilgrims, an on-the-spot registration center has been set up in the Shalimar area of Jammu.

– A special camp for the registration of sadhus has been set up at the Purani Mandi-based Ram temple complex.

– A total quota of 600 registrations for a day has been fixed for the registration centres in Jammu.