Shri Amarnath Yatra 2025, an annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Lord Shiva in South Kashmir, has been suspended from August 3, 2025, due to heavy rainfall and the urgent need for track maintenance on both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes, said authorities. Furthermore, only holy mace worship will be done on Raksha Bandhan (August 9).
The Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, announced that critical repair and maintenance works are required due to the damage caused by heavy rainfall. The deployment of personnel and machinery for these repairs makes it impossible to continue the Yatra, leading to its suspension from August 3, on both routes.
Officials said, “Torrential rains in Kashmir have rendered the pilgrimage routes unsafe, causing damage that necessitates immediate repair and maintenance. The rains have affected both the Baltal and Pahalgam axes, with conditions worsening over recent days.”
The Baltal route was briefly resumed on this route on July 31 but was suspended again due to continued adverse weather. While the Pahalgam route has been under maintenance since July 30, no pilgrim movement has been allowed due to unsafe conditions.
No convoy movement was permitted from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu to the Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camps in Kashmir, effective from July 31, 2025, and continuing during the suspension period.
More than 4.10 lakh devotees have visited the Holy Cave of Shri Amarnath this year, compared to 5.10 lakh pilgrims last year, indicating a high turnout despite weather challenges.
The 38-day pilgrimage began on July 3 and was scheduled to conclude on August 9.
However, the holy mace of Lord Shiva (Charri Mubarak), carried by Mahant Deependra Giri, will begin its journey from Srinagar’s Amareshwar Temple on August 4 and reach the cave shrine on August 9 for the concluding rituals, marking the end of the Yatra on August 9.