The Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to cancel the annual Amarnath Yatra for the second consecutive year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the Yatra was supposed to start on June 28 from the two routes and end on the festival of Raksha Bandhan on August 22.
However, after the second wave of COVID-19 infections hit the country in the month of April, registration for the annual Hindu pilgrimage was stopped. Now a decision has been taken in consultation with the board members of Shri Amarnathji Shrine to cancel the Yatra altogether for the year. The decision was announced by the office of Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir- Manoj Sinha on the microblogging site Twitter:
Shri Amarnathji Yatra cancelled in wake of Covid-19 Pandemic. Decision after threadbare discussion with Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board members. Yatra to be symbolic only. However, all the traditional religious rituals shall be performed at the Holy Cave Shrine as per past practice.
— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) June 21, 2021
The office of the Lieutenant Governor defended the decision to cancel the Yatra by underscoring the need to save the people’s lives from the COVID-19 pandemic. “So, it is not advisable to hold and conduct this year’s pilgrimage in the larger public interest,” he added.
The administrator for the UT of Jammu and Kashmir said that the Amarnath Yatra would only remain symbolic for this year. However, he sought to assure the devotees and said that all the traditional religious rituals would be performed at the Holy Cave Shrine (the destination of the Yatra)as has been happening in the past.
Last year, the Amarnath Yatra was cancelled as well by the then Lieutenant-Governor of J&K Girish Chandra Murmu, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
