Amarnath yatra beginsOver 5,000 pilgrims Tuesday reached the Baltal base camp in north Kashmir and another 2,000 poured into south Kashmir’s Nunwan base camp Pahalgam resort town as the annual Amarnath pilgrimage was flagged off from Jammu in the morning amid religious fervour.

Amarnath yatra Camps In North Kashmir 2011

The Governor during his visit to the Cave Shrine of Shri Amarnathji early in the morning also reviewed the overall arrangements made for the Yatris and expressed satisfaction at the support extended by the State Government, Army, State Police, Central Para Military Forces and other agencies. He stressed the need for effective supervision and monitoring on continuing basis for ensuring smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.

The most acrimonious was the land row of 2008, when protests erupted in Kashmir after 800 kanals of land near the Baltal base camp was transferred to the Amarnath shrine board. The state, divided on regional lines, saw violence, blockades and a virtual shut-down for over three months.