Amarnath Yatra 2026 sees record pilgrim numbers and rapid ice lingam melt

The 2026 Shri Amarnath Yatra has drawn unprecedented crowds. A record 9,837 pilgrims departed from Jammu in a single day, while the ninth convoy of 8,796 devotees left for the Baltal and Pahalgam routes on July 10, bringing the total number of pilgrims who have departed the base camp to 61,612.

Within the first eight days of the pilgrimage, more than two lakh devotees offered darshan at the holy cave shrine, and the darshan tally has crossed 1.60 lakh. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reviewed the arrangements, urging a zero‑tolerance approach to overcharging and fraudulent registrations, and praised the surge as a boost for Jammu and Kashmir tourism and the local economy.

In parallel, the naturally formed ice Shivling (Baba Barfani) has melted dramatically, with over 90 % disappearing within six days of the Yatra’s start. Officials and environmental observers link the rapid melt to climate change and the high volume of pilgrims, raising concerns over the shrine’s ecological balance.