Umaisar Gull Ganie
Qazigund, Jul 14: Having covered nearly 900–950 kilometres on foot from Jaipur, Rajasthan, a group of 13 devotees reached Qazigund on Tuesday en route to the holy Amarnath Cave shrine.
The pilgrims, who have been walking for the past 33 days, said they would pray for the nation’s peace, prosperity and development while urging people from across the country to undertake the sacred pilgrimage.
Arvind Singh, who is undertaking the Amarnath Yatra on foot for the 12th time, told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that he travels from Rajasthan to the shrine every year despite the scorching summer heat.
“Outside temperatures are extremely high, and we are drenched in sweat from head to toe, but there is a divine attraction that keeps us walking. If you want to achieve victory, you have to set fear aside. Only then can you reach your destination,” Singh said.
He added, “People should not hesitate to come for the Amarnath Yatra because there is nothing to worry about. This is my 12th pilgrimage on foot, and we are going to pray for the nation’s peace and prosperity.”
Another devotee, Mohan Meena, said the group has been on the road for 33 days and also paid obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra before heading towards Kashmir.
He praised the arrangements made for the Yatra, saying the Army, CRPF and Jammu & Kashmir Police are present throughout the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway to guide and assist pilgrims.
“Security personnel are deployed at every stretch of the highway, so nobody should fear coming here. People from across the country should undertake this holy Yatra. Despite travelling on foot, we have not faced any difficulty. Nothing is difficult, it is only the mind that makes things seem difficult,” Meena said—(KNO)
