🗓️ Overview

Duration: From July 3 to August 9, 2025 (38 days, ending on Raksha Bandhan/Ful Moharam)

Routes:

Baltal Route (~14 km, steep)—quickest; pilgrims typically complete it in a single day. 

Pahalgam Route (~48 km, traditional)—longer trek with 4–5 day halts at points like Sheshnag, Panchtarni.

🚩 Flag‑Off & Numbers

First batch flagged off on July 2 from Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu, by Lt. Gov. Manoj Sinha—5,892 pilgrims in around 310 vehicles. 

From Baltal: ~2,000 pilgrims; from Pahalgam: ~3,000 in the first group. 

🔐 Security & Safety

Tight security: Multi-layered deployment—paramilitary, CRPF, ITBP, J&K and Punjab police; aerial surveillance and RFID convoy tracking from integrated command centers. 

No-fly zone: Pilgrimage routes declared off-limits to drones and balloons from July 1 to August 10. 

Mock drills & medical camps: Simulated exercises were conducted pre-yatra; 17 medical camps, mini-hospitals, ambulances along the Ramban stretch. 

🙏 Cultural & Spiritual Highlights

Pilgrims chant sacred slogans like “Bam Bam Bhole” and “Har Har Mahadev” during the flag-off and journey. 

Spiritual significance: The cave houses the naturally formed ice lingam (Baba Barfani), seen as a symbol of Lord Shiva imparting immortality.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Participation & Context

Registrations: Over 331,000 pilgrims registered so far.

Despite a terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed ~26 civilians, pilgrim numbers remain strong with visible long queues in Srinagar transit camps. 

✅ What This Means

A blend of deep faith and logistics—pilgrims are supported by strong security and medical infrastructure.

The 2025 yatra affirms India’s resilience after April’s violence, showing that devotion transcends fear.

Both routes—Baltal (short but steep) and Pahalgam (long but gradual)—offer options based on pilgrims’ endurance and preference.