This year, the Amarnath Yatra carries a distinct international hue, with sadhus from Nepal arriving at Ram Mandir in Jammu's Purani Mandi in large numbers.
"Lord Shiva came in my dreams and asked me to come for His darshan at the Amarnath Shrine. Without wasting time, I packed my bag and rushed for Jammu and Kashmir," said Vichari Dass Siddi of Janakpuri, Nepal.
For these sadhus, this is not a routine pilgrimage. It is a reaffirmation of the centuries-old civilisational bond that Nepal shares with India.
"Baba Bholenath will take care of everything. Jab Baba Bholenath hain saath, toh darr kis baat ka? (When Baba Bholenath is with us, what is there to fear?)," said Devnath Dass, a sadhu from Nepal, when asked about fear amid heightened security concerns.
"Our sanskriti, our sabhyata, and our reeti-rivaaj are similar to India's. We have nothing in common with China. India is the land of Lord Ram and Lord Shiva. And Lord Shiva's in-laws were from Nepal. There is a sacred connection between Nepal and Kashmir," said Chhota Dumi Dass, another sadhu from Nepal.
These ascetics have travelled for days, crossing into India through the Bihar border before boarding a train to Jammu. From Jammu, they will march towards Kashmir for the onwards spiritual journey.
For them, this is not just a yatra, but faith pulling them across borders. Despite the arduous trek ahead and a multi-layered security grid, their resolve remains unshaken.
The administration has scaled up facilities - food, shelter, and medical aid - to host the surge of pilgrims, including these sadhus from Nepal who describe this journey as their life's calling.
The yatra will be ceremonially flagged off from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp on July 3 by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
