Amarnath Yatra 2023: The Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board recently released a health advisory with a list of prohibited food items for the pilgrimage, which will begin in Jammu and Kashmir in July.
Foods like jalebi, halwa, pooris, and chhola bhaturas are banned.
As part of a strict stance against junk and unhealthy food, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) said on Sunday that Yatris will not be given halwa puris, samosas, jalebis, gulab jamuns, etc. during this year’s Himalayan pilgrimage. This year`s 62-day-long Amaranth Yatra will begin on July 1.
According to SASB representatives, this year, more than 120 langars (community kitchens) are being built for the pilgrims travelling the twin paths from Pahalgam and Baltal to the cave shrine.
Additionally, the advise offers options for Langar organisations, shops, and stalls that offer meals to pilgrims and other service providers.
With a focus on the health of the pilgrims, SASB has announced a list of meals and food items that are authorised and banned at “langars,” making it clear that no junk food or fried food would be provided at around 120 langars.
Authorities predict that at least 500,000 people will visit the Amarnath cave temple this year. Registration is already open for the Amarnath Yatra, a 14-kilometer trek from July 1 to August 31. The walk to the Holy Cave of Shri Amarnathji involves hiking up to 14,000 feet in altitude.
A list of banned and permitted items has also been shared with the langer authorities. Check the list of banned foods and the permitted items for the pilgrimage before starting the yatra.
Banned food items during Amarnath Yatra
- All non-veg foods, alcohol, tobacco, gutka, pan masala, smoking, other intoxicants.
- Heavy pullav, fried-rice.
- Poori, bathura, pizza, burger, stuffed parantha, dosa and fried-roti, bread with butter, cream based food, pickle, chutney, fried papad, chowmein (noodles) and all other fried or fast food.
- Cold drinks and karrah.
- Halwa, Jalebi, Gulab Jamun, Laddu Khoya Burfi, Rasgulla and all other Halwai items, Crunchy Snacks (high in fat and salts) chips / Kurkure, matthi, Namkeen Mixture, Pakora, Samosa, Fried Dry Fruits and all other Deep Fried Items.
Food items you can carry during Amarnath Yatra
- Cereals, pulses, green vegetables, potato, saag, Nutrela soya chunks, besan curry, plain dal, green salad, fruits and sprouts
Plain rice, zeera rice, khichri and Nutrela rice. - Roti / phulka, dal roti, missi roti, makki ki roti (unfried, without oil/butter), tandoori roti, bread / kulcha / double roti, rusk, chocolate, biscuits, roasted chana and jaggery, sambar, idli, uttapam, poha, vegetable sandwich (without cream/butter/cheese), bread jam, Kashmiri nan (girda), and steamed dumplings (vegetable momos).
- Herbal tea, coffee, low-fat curd, sharbat, lemon squash / water, low-fat milk, fruit juice, vegetable soup, mineral water, glucose (in standard packet form)
- Kheer (rice/sabudana), white oats (daliya), figs, raisins, apricots, other dry fruits (only roasted/raw), low-fat milk sawain, honey, boiled sweets (candy), roasted papad, khakra, til ka ladoo, dhokla, chikki (guchak), rewari, phulian makhane, murmura, dry petha, amla muraba, fruit muraba, and green coconut.
Moreover, the Director of Health Services Jammu and Kashmir have directed all concerned officials not to sanction or forward leave applications of doctors and para-medical staff during the period of the yatra.