JAMMU, INDIA, May 10, 2011: The air has been cleared for the annual Amarnath “yatra” (pilgrimage) as the weather has improved in the Kashmir Valley over the past week, enabling the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) to start registration of pilgrims. This year the pilgrimage will be held between June 29 and August 13.
The annual summer pilgrimage to the 13,500-ft high Himalayan cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva in south Kashmir usually faces uncertainties because of the unpredictable weather conditions and security concerns. The present clear weather in the valley and the mountains is seen as a positive sign.
The registration is open online as well as across 149 branches of various banks across the country. Last year, more than 450,000 pilgrims visited the Amarnath shrine.