Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, on Wednesday (11 July), advised pilgrims to postpone their Amarnath Yatra to next year due to recent natural tragedies.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted "widespread to fairly widespread rains" during the next four days in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

So far, heavy rains and landslides have disrupted both the routes to the holy cave and thus have marred the yatra.

“Pilgrims who have reached already are facing extreme difficulties and it is advised that those planning for Shri Amarnath Yatra reconsider their travel plans and invoke Bholenath through meditation and prayer from where they are,” said Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who is also a member of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

“Despite the best efforts from the chairman of Amarnath Shrine Board, Governor NN Vora, the Army and Border Security Forces, it is unlikely that the roads will become suitable for travel in near future,” Sri Sri Ravi Shankar added in a statement.

His advisory notwithstanding, around 13,767 yatris paid obeisance at the holy cave on the 13th day of the ongoing Shri Amarnathji Yatra on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, fresh batch of 4,956 pilgrims left the base camp in Jammu for the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas under tight security arrangements on Wednesday. 

Earlier this month, Amarnath Yatra was suspended from both Pahalgam and Baltal routes due to landslides. The death toll during this year’s yatra rose to 11.