2011 Amarnath yatra is underway in the middle of tight security arrangements. The annual Amarnath yatra to the south Kashmir holy cave shrine kicks off amid 10,000 security military service have been moving into position.

Around 5,000 paramilitary CRPF have been positioned for security of the pilgrims along the old Pahalgam way and the shorter Baltal way, according to the officials. Security personnel have also been positioned all along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and between Khanabal and Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Srinagar and Baltal in Ganderbal district. The first batch of almost 2,000 pilgrims from Jammu will be travelling to the holy cave shrine from Pahalgam and Baltal from tomorrow. The yatra will concludes on August 13 2011 coinciding with Raksha Bandhan festival.

The temple is a popular yatra destination for Hindus – about 400,000 people visit during the 45-day season around the festival of Shravani Mela in July–August, coinciding with the Hindu holy month of Shraavana. The beginning of the annual pilgrimage, called Amarnath Yatra, to the Himalayan cave shrine is marked by ‘pratham pujan’ to invoke the blessings of Shri Amarnathji. Devotees generally take the 42 km (26 mi) pilgrimage on foot from the town of Pahalgam, about 96 km (60 mi) from Srinagar, and cover the journey in four to five days. There are two alternate routes to the temple: the longer and more traditional path from Srinagar, and the shorter route from the town of Baltal. Some devotees, particularly the elderly, also ride on horse-back to make the journey. Those who so wish and have the money can now make the journey by helicopter.