100-fold spike in cash donations at Amarnath shrine after removal of Covid restrictions: RTI

The donations made by pilgrims at the 3,880 metre-high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas have witnessed a 100-fold rise since the resumption of the annual pilgrimage, post pandemic-induced restrictions, official data has revealed.

The data released by Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query raised by Jammu-based activist Raman Kumar Sharma, showed that cash donation and offerings jumped from just Rs 9.23 lakh in 2020-21 to Rs 9.75 crore in 2025-26.

The offering peaked in 2024-25 at over 11.58 crore, slightly higher than Rs 11.15 crore in 2023-24.

After Covid-induced restrictions, that had been place in 2020 and 2021, were removed, the yatra recorded a footfall of over 3 lakh devotees from across the country in 2022, followed by around 4.5 lakh in 2023, 5.1 lakh in 2024 and 4.1 lakh this year.

The 2025 yatra, which commenced on July 3, was called off a week before its scheduled end as rain-damaged tracks needed maintenance.

The yatra to the shrine, housing the naturally formed ice-shivlingam, takes place usually in July-August through the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal district.

According to the chief accounts officer, SASB, Rs 9.23 lakh were received at the holy shrine in 2020-21, Rs 12.29 lakh (2021-22), Rs 9.14 crore (2022-23), Rs 11.16 crore (2023-24), Rs 11.59 crore (2024-25) and Rs 9.75 crore (2025-26) as cash donations and offerings.

The data also reflects a shift back to traditional cash offerings, even as online donations, which saw a temporary rise during the pandemic, declined sharply compared to last year.

An amount of Rs 77.09 lakh on behalf of donations and offerings were received through online mode in 2020-21, Rs 1.46 crore in 2021-22, Rs 2.39 crore in 2022-23, Rs 1.55 crore in 2023-24, Rs 1.89 crore in 2024-25 and Rs 80.64 lakh in 2025-26.

The registration fee from the pilgrims also marked a manifold increase from Rs 0.12 lakh in 2020-21 and 2021-22 to Rs 4 crore in 2022-23, Rs 5.56 crore in 2023-24, Rs 5.35 crore in 2024-25 and Rs 7.71 crore in 2025-26.

Officials attributed the surge to the full-scale resumption of the pilgrimage after two years of COVID-19 restrictions, improved infrastructure, and a growing number of registered pilgrims.

While the shrine board has provided detailed figures on cash donations, online offerings, and pilgrim registration fees, it did not specify jewellery, gold, silver and other precious stones received.

In response to queries on these high-value contributions, the board simply stated "Not Available" (NA).