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The Himalayan pilgrimage for Amarnath shrine of Lord Shiva will once again open for a duration of two months, from June-end till August 28.
 
This has defied all speculations that the pilgrimage duration would be altered this year because of the uncertain weather conditions in the Himalayas during June - August part of the calendar year.
 
This year, it will commence from June 30, the Jaisht Purnima, one of the auspicious dates in the Hindu calendar, and conclude on Shrvan Purnima on August 28, the day on which Hindus celebrate Raksha Bandhan festival. 
 
" The shrine board has taken a decision in this regard," Dr Arun Kumar,Chief Executive Officer of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board told Hindustan Times. 
 
" The pilgrimage calendar has been fixed and the track clearance work would start by this month-end or early next month, depending on the  weather," he said.
 
Both the routes, the traditional track via Pahalgam that ascends upto Mahagunus pass touches the myth logically important places Sheeshnag and Panchtarni, and the steeper and shorter climb route via Baltal, would be thrown open for the pilgrim traffic.
 
This will be for the second time in more than 150-year-old history of the pilgrimage that the pilgrimage duration would be for two months.

The beginning was made last year when nearly four lakh pilgrims had visited the shrine, where a natural icelingam, iconic of Lord Shiva is formed by the icy droplets from the rooftop of a vast cave, at the height of 13,500 feet above sea level.
 
There were doubts about the duration of the pilgrimage for this year, as last year pilgrimage had to confront many hurdles. Alternately  high temperatures and un-seasonal snowfall and a high-pitched controversy over alleged man-made icelingam. In inquiry panel headed by   retired judge of the High Court Justice KK Gupta had ruled that the shrine board had nothing to do with it.
 
As of now, no one has any idea whether there is a Shivlingam or not, because no one has been able to reach the cave. It would be known once exploratory teams reach the cave shrine in next few weeks.
 
Currently, the whole area is snowbound.
 
Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, Governor, Retd Lt Gen SK Sinha, wants the pilgrimage to be more comfortable this year, as compared to the previous years.
 
He has already instructed that infrastructure needed for making pilgrims comfortable during the pilgrimage be set up. The Shrine Board offers prefabricated accommodation to the pilgrims.
 
"Our stress is on having more toilets this time, both for the convenience of the pilgrims and also for the sake of the environment," Dr Kumar said.