Editorial photo #12525929 Religion and Belief
Annual Amarnath Yatra Pilgrimage In Indian Kashmir
Hindu pilgrims gather in the early morning before starting their pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Amarnath from a base camp near Baltal, east of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, on July 3, 2025. The Amarnath Yatra 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)
