By – Aditi Gupta
The day has finally come that Baba Barfani’s followers have been eagerly awaiting. With great fervor and joy, the pilgrimage to Baba Amarnath’s sacred cave began on Saturday from the base camps in Pahalgam and Baltal. Even before daybreak, the pilgrims started getting ready for the journey.
The first set of pilgrims began their trek by singing in unison phrases like “Bam-Bam Bhole,” “Jai Baba Barfani,” “food for the hungry,” “water for the thirsty,” and so on.
Conversely, the second group left from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar base camp on Saturday, heading toward Pahalgam and Baltal. Chanting slogans, pilgrims drove from Jammu towards the valley under strict security.
Simultaneously, devotees of Bholenath keep coming to Jammu.
In order to obtain their RFID cards, devotees who registered online are showing up at Yatri Niwas and the train station. In a setting like this, Baba Barfani’s colors saturate the entire state, ranging from Jammu to Kashmir.
With the entrance of believers, the state’s atmosphere has taken on a Shiva-like quality. Nearby, one may hear the chanting of Lord Bhole. In addition, the local businessmen’s looks also seem happier.
Thus far, almost 3.5 lakh fans have registered this time around. Daily quick registrations are also completed in addition to this. Four and a half lakh devotees had come to Baba Barfani’s court last year. This record is readily broken this time.
Shubhangi Yadav, a Kanpur native, stated that this is her first time doing the Amarnath Yatra via the Pahalgam route. The Yatra has brought about a change in the weather in Jammu and Kashmir, and snow is expected to surround the sacred cave. UP native Vandana Verma expressed her appreciation for having the good fortune to attend Baba’s court for the first time. It is Baba’s steadfast faith that has led us here. A resident of Rishikesh named Akshara Verma said, “We will take the Pahalgam route to get to Baba’s court since we’ve heard it offers views of enchanting natural beauty.”