Editorial photo #12523634 Religion and Belief
Annual Amarnath Yatra Pilgrimage In Indian Kashmir
Workers from Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) collect garbage at Baltal Base Camp, where Hindu pilgrims spend the night before proceeding to the holy Amarnath Cave Shrine, in Baltal, east of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on July 2, 2025. The Amarnath Yatra, starting on July 3, begins under an unprecedented security blanket after a terror attack in Pahalgam kills 25 tourists and a local pony handler. In response, the government deploys additional troops along the pilgrimage routes and cancels all helicopter services this year. The 45-day Himalayan pilgrimage to the sacred Shiva shrine takes place amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions following 'Operation Sindoor' and cross-border shelling, raising safety concerns for thousands of pilgrims. (Photo by Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto)
