Amarnath Yatra 2024: Opening Date, Registration, Age Limit, Documents

The 62-days long Amarnath Yatra 2024 may start in July and will end by August. The advance registration may start in April 2024. A person is not allowed to register for Amarnath Yatra if he/she is under 13 years or above 75 years of age. Women with over 6-weeks pregnancy are also not allowed to register for Amarnath Yatra. 

Amarnath Yatra is the name given to the pilgrimage to Amarnath Cave Temple in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The beginning of Amarnath Yatra is marked by ‘Pratham Pujan’ to invoke the blessings of Shri Amarnathji. Yatra to Amarnath Temple begins from base camps at Nunwan and Chandanwari to reach Pahalgam town. From Pahalgam, the journey moves forward to the Amarnath Cave Temple with a break at Sheshnag Lake and Panchtarni camps. Every year the government organizes the Amarnath Yatra along with the Shree Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

Amarnath Yatra 2024 Date

Yatra	Amarnath Yatra 2024
Opening Date	July 2024
Closing Date	August 2024
Duration	62 days
Official website to register for Amarnath Yatra	https://jksasb.nic.in/

About Amarnath Cave Temple

Amarnath Cave Temple is a Hindu shrine located at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft). It is about 141 km from Srinagar and can be reached through Pahalgam town. The Amarnath shrine is considered to be one of the holiest shrines and is also one of the 51 Shakti Peetha temples throughout South Asia where parts of Goddess Sati fall after she burnt her body. Covered with snow most of the time, the cave opens to pilgrims only for a short period of time.

Every year, thousands of devotees visit the Amarnath Cave Temple and seek blessings of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. As per the Hindu religious beliefs, Amarnath Cave Temple is also the place where Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to Parvati.

When to plan Amarnath Yatra?

Inside the cave which is around 40 m (130 ft) high, a stalagmite is formed from the freezing of water drops that fall from the roof of the cave onto the floor. This stalagmite is considered to be a Shiva Linga that represents Lord Shiva himself. The Linga waxes during the month of May to August and gradually starts to wane. When the Linga reaches the apex of its waxing phase, it is considered as the best time for pilgrimage. This makes the month of July-August the most appropriate time for visiting the Amarnath Cave Temple. This period also marks the 45-day season around the festival of Shravani Mela in the Hindu month of Shraavana. Period during which the temple is open to pilgrims is announced by the government and planning can be done according to those dates.

Amarnath Yatra is organized by the government and the Shree Amarnath Shrine Board. Other than this, many agencies are there that provide necessary facilities like ponies, power supply, telecommunication facilities, etc. Food supply and resting tents are also set up on the way and are available for free to the pilgrims. Helicopter services from base camp to Panjtarni are also provided by various private agencies.

Amarnath Yatra 2024 Registration Date

Devotees planning to visit the Amarnath shrine will first have to register themselves for the yatra. Online registration can be done at the official website of Amarnath Yatra- https://jksasb.nic.in/. Following successful registration, people will be provided Yatra Permits (YPs) and those with the permit can begin their journey to the Amarnath Cave. To obtain the permit, one also need to submit prescribed Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC) and four passport sized photographs. The specific day on which a pilgrim is registered to undertake the Yatra will be printed on the Yatra Permit Form.

Here are the steps you need to follow to register for Amarnath Yatra:

Step 1: Please visit the official website of Amarnath Yatra registration- https://jksasb.nic.in/. Click the Register button for new registration.

Step 2: Fill Yatra details like route of yatra and date of yatra and yatri details like yatri full name, father/husband’s name, gender, date of birth, mobile number, emergency mobile number, gender, date of birth, email ID, state/UTs, district, name of next of Kin, relationship with kin, blood group, yatri address.

Then enter medical details and upload your medical certificate (max 1MB only PDF) and photo (max 1MB jpeg/jpg) and enter certificate issue date.

Important Notes and Documents for Amarnath Yatra

1. You need to obtain medical certificate only from authorized doctor/hospital in your state.
2. The maximum size of the photograph should not be more than 1MB. It should be – .JPEG or .JPG.
3. You need to upload medical certificate in PDF format during registration. The size of the document must not exceed 1MB.
4. If your age is below 13 years or above 75 years then you are not allowed to register for Amarnath yatra.
5. Pregnant women with over 6 weeks of pregnancy are not permitted.
6. You need to carry your medical certificate and photo ID during the yatra.

Check: Kedarnath yatra date

Preparation for Amarnath Yatra

High level of physical and medical fitness is a mandatory requirement of Amarnath Yatra. Before the journey commences, the pilgrims are advised to enhance their fitness and walking ability as the path consists of long treks. One should start going on a morning and/ or evening walk daily morning for up to 4 or 5 kms. Deep breathing exercises, specifically pranayams, should also be practiced daily to improve oxygen efficiency. Since the journey involves trekking one must carry the following items to the yatra- adequate woolen clothing, a small umbrella, windcheater, raincoat, waterproof trekking shoes, torch, walking stick, cap (preferably a monkey cap), gloves, jacket, woolen socks and trousers.

Dos and Don’ts of Amarnath Yatra

• During the Yatra from Pahalgam onward, one should keep spare clothes and eatables in a suitable water proof bag.
• It is advised to carry a water bottle, dry fruits, roasted grams, toffees, chocolates, etc for use during the journey.
• One should apply and carry some cold cream or sunscreen to protect their hands and face against sunburn or cold temperature.
• All the pilgrims must strictly follow the instructions issued by the Yatra administration from time to time.
• One must not stop at places which are marked by warning notices.
• Do not use slippers because there are steep rises and falls on the route to the Cave. Only wear trekking shoes with laces.
• Do not do anything during your entire journey which could cause pollution in the Yatra area.
• Adopting shortcuts on the route is prohibited as it can be dangerous.

Frequently Asked Questions