Heavy rainfall forces cancellation of Shri Amaranth Yatra 2025
The Shri Amarnath Yatra 2025, a sacred pilgrimage in Kashmir, has been suspended starting August 3, 2025, due to heavy rainfall and the subsequent damage to the Yatra routes.
The decision to suspend the Yatra was announced by the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri. The suspension comes after critical repair and maintenance works were deemed necessary due to the damage caused by the heavy rainfall.
The pilgrimage routes along both the Baltal and Pahalgam axes have been affected, leading authorities to halt pilgrim movement for safety and conduct urgent track repairs. The suspension effectively ends the Yatra a week early to prevent risk to pilgrims and allow completion of necessary works.
The Yatra, which began on July 3, 2025, and was originally scheduled to conclude on August 9, had seen a high turnout despite weather challenges. More than 4.10 lakh devotees have visited the Holy Cave of Shri Amarnath in 2025, fewer than last year's 5.10 lakh pilgrims.
The Pahalgam route was under maintenance since July 30, with no pilgrim movement allowed due to unsafe conditions. The Baltal route was briefly resumed on July 31 but was suspended again due to continued adverse weather. No convoy movement from Bhagwati Nagar base camp to Baltal and Nunwan base camps was permitted from July 31, 2025, and continues during the suspension period.
Despite the suspension, the holy mace of Lord Shiva (Charri Mubarak) will begin its journey from Srinagar's Amareshwar Temple on August 4, 2025. The mace will mark the end of the Yatra on August 9, 2025, during the holy ritual of Raksha Bandhan. Only holy mace worship will be done on this day.
The deployment of personnel and machinery for these repairs makes it impossible to continue the Yatra at this time. The authorities are working diligently to ensure the safety of the pilgrims and the successful completion of the Yatra once the weather conditions improve.
[1] Times of India
[2] NDTV
[3] Deccan Herald
[4] Hindustan Times
[5] The Indian Express
[1] The suspension of the Shri Amarnath Yatra 2025 due to heavy rainfall has disrupted weather-forecasting plans for upcoming sports events in Kashmir, as meteorologists rely on data from the region for accurate predictions.
[2] Alongside the suspension of the Yatra, sports-betting websites have temporarily halted predictions related to the Kashmir valley's weather patterns, citing the unpredictable weather as a significant factor.
