Says Yatra reflects India’s spiritual legacy, unity in diversity
SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said that the sacred Amarnath Yatra stands for social unity and deep inner reflection.
“The Amarnathyatra is a journey of patience, prayer, and connection with the divine, it reminds us that true spirituality is about exploring the light within,” Sinha said while addressing the Valedictory Session of an International Conference on AmarnathYatra, organized by the Government Degree College for Women, Anantnag in collaboration with the District Administration Anantnag.
The Lieutenant Governor stated that the ShriAmarnathJiYatra is a living embodiment of India’s spiritual consciousness, cultural heritage and humane values.
“We must preserve, enrich, and pass on this great tradition to future generations. The sacred ShriAmarnathJiYatra stands for social unity and deep inner reflection. A journey of patience, prayer, and connection with the divine, it reminds us that true spirituality is about exploring the light within,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said that many families and communities have served pilgrims for generations. He said people from different faiths and beliefs have played vital roles in contributing to this pilgrimage and their participation testifies to a shared human consciousness that operates above the boundaries of religion, language, and community.
“At a time when divisions appear to be rising in many parts of the world, ShriAmarnathJiYatra offers a unique model of coexistence. The pilgrimage conveys that the true purpose of faith is to bring people together. It is a spiritual journey of the shared values of humanity. The holy Yatra is also a vibrant celebration of India’s cultural diversity,” he added.
Devotees who come from across the country bring their languages, traditions and as they travel the route this diversity becomes a medium of mutual respect and warmth. I believe this is India’s real strength. Baba Barfani’s pilgrimage embodies the ideal of our civilization that we call “unity in diversity.” The journey teaches that national unity is built on mutual respect and common purpose,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
He also stated that sacred ShriAmarnathJiYatra plays a critical role in the local economy. He mentioned that pony operators, shopkeepers, artisans, hoteliers, transport providers, thousands of families are directly or indirectly linked to the pilgrimage and the yatra generates livelihoods and also accelerates regional development and infrastructure.
“Maintaining a balance between development and nature conservation is our collective responsibility. Sanitation, waste management, biodiversity conservation, animal welfare, and environmental balance are our collective responsibility. A zero-waste ShriAmarnathJiyatra has been our commitment, and pilgrims are encouraged through campaigns such as 100 percent waste recycling, organized waste-collection networks, and “Bring plastic, take a bag” initiatives for environmental protection,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor highlighted that over the past two to three years both tracks have been widened and ambulances have been stationed at designated points along the route. He said Baltal and Chandanwari tracks were widened to 12 feet and illuminated at night. The tracks are inspected and repaired each night during the pilgrimage.
“In the future the ShriAmarnathJi pilgrimage will become an important center for global spiritual tourism. It will introduce pilgrims and foreign visitors to the Yatra’s grandeur as well as India’s rich traditions of philosophy, yoga, meditation, and spirituality. The pilgrimage will also be a strong instrument of cultural diplomacy. Visitors from different countries can return having experienced a profound spiritual wisdom.
The sacred Yatra is part of our cultural and spiritual heritage. To ensure each devotee departs with a unique spiritual experience, many transformations have been carried out in the past five years, and digital tools have become an important means. Online registration, RFID and GPS-based monitoring, camera surveillance along the entire track, digital information systems, and modern communication technologies have made the pilgrimage safer, more accessible, and more transparent. We have sought to adopt modern innovations while safeguarding the pilgrimage’s core spiritual spirit,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Dr.Mandeep K Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor and CEO ShriAmarnathJi Shrine Board; Dr.ShahidIqbalChoudhary, Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services and Sports Department and Nodal Officer for Pahalgam Axis; AnshulGarg, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; VK Birdi, IGP Kashmir; JavidIqbalMatoo, DIG South Kashmir; Dr. Bilal MohiuddinBhat, Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag; ShriAmodNagpure Ashok, SSP Anantnag, Dr.Khalida Hassan, Principal Government Degree College for Women, Anantnag; Prof. Farooq Ahmed Malik, Organising Secretary, faculty, staff, students, prominent citizens, civil society members and people from different walks of life attended the conference.
