Amarnath Yatra 2026 launches with first puja as ice lingam shrinks 40% amid heat
The annual Amarnath Yatra for 2026 will run from 3 July to 28 August, concluding on the Shravana full moon. Registration for pilgrims began on 15 April.
The pilgrimage’s inaugural ceremony, the first puja, is scheduled for Jyeshtha Purnima (late May/early June). Officials say the natural ice lingam inside the Amarnath cave has melted by about 40 % because of unusually high temperatures and reduced snowfall this year.
The Jammu‑Kashmir administration and the Indian Army have readied security and support infrastructure along the main routes from Pahalgam and Baltal, including medical camps, oxygen stations and high‑tech weather monitoring. Pilgrims are urged to carry warm clothing, rain gear and fitness certificates as conditions remain variable.