Amarnath Yatra 2026 Set for July 3 to August 28

Jammu, April 12: The annual Amarnath Yatra, one of India's most revered Hindu pilgrimages, will begin on July 3, 2026, and conclude on August 28, 2026, spanning 57 days and ending on the festival of Raksha Bandhan, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced on Friday. The schedule was finalized during a meeting of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, which Sinha chairs.

The pilgrimage draws thousands of devotees each year to the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, located at an altitude of 3,888 meters. The site features a natural ice stalagmite that devotees believe symbolizes Lord Shiva and varies with the lunar cycle. Ahead of the yatra's start, a ceremonial Pratham Puja will take place on June 29, 2026, coinciding with Jyeshtha Purnima, to invoke blessings for the journey.

Registration for the yatra opens on April 15, 2026, and is mandatory for all participants. Eligible pilgrims, aged between 13 and 70 years and excluding women more than six weeks pregnant, can register online via the official Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board website or mobile app, or offline at approximately 554 designated bank branches across India, including Jammu and...