The historic 62-day annual Amarnath Yatra is going on at Gupha, located at an altitude of 13 thousand feet above sea level. There are two ways to go for this Yatra which started on July 1, 2023.
One is the 48 km Nanwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the other is 14 km long from Bal Tal in Ganderbal district. This Yatra is a great symbol of communal harmony, mutual brotherhood among different communities.
Yatra is a confluence of people of different faiths from all over India as well as abroad. It is a unique pilgrimage in which people belonging to one religion visit the Gupha with devotion and people from other religions help the devotees to reach the Gupha and provide various amenities on the way.
On the Amarnath Yatra route, horse-drawn carriages, punish and thus belong to the Muslim community. Apart from this, Muslims have also set up anchors at many places along the way. A large number of Muslim labourers from Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Kishtwar and Doda regions of Jammu province also go to work as puniwala, pithuwala and palkiwala in this yatra.
On the banks of Nala Indus, from the base camp in Bal Tal of Ganderbal district to Gupha, Muslims have set up small kiosks at dozens of places on the way, which are major institutions that provide local services to Amarnath pilgrims during the annual pilgrimage.
Not only that but guide the pilgrims in walking the path, showing the way. Local Muslims are seen carrying pilgrims either on their shoulders or in palanquins. Risking their lives and braving the arduous journey, rain, hot and humid weather conditions, and mud on the way to the holy cave, the local service providers including the pooniwala and palanquin bearer Amarnath manage to provide a safe and comfortable journey to the pilgrims.
Thousands of Muslims join the pilgrimage every year, serving the pilgrims as laborers, pathways, and palanquin bearers, helping the elderly pilgrims climb the difficult Baltal route to the cave on palanquins.
