JAMMU, May 3: As the 62-day long Shri Amarnath Yatra this year is scheduled to begin from July 1, the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board has released a list of permitted and banned meal, food items at ‘langars’ (community kitchens) for the pilgrims en route twin tracks to the holy cave shrine located in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials said that focus is the health of the pilgrims and in view of that, Langar organisations have been asked to serve only nutritious and healthy meals to the pilgrims en route to the cave shrine.
“No junk and fried food will be allowed but only nutritious meals will be served at around 120 langars to be established this year for the pilgrims at twin routes leading to the cave shrine,” they added.
The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has also circulated a menu (permitted, banned), applicable to all langar organizations, food stalls, shops and other establishments to remain operational during the yatra period, said an official.
He further stated that the District Magistrates of Ganderbal and Anantnag will ensure action against those who violate the guidelines.
The meals in the Permitted Menu included Cereals, Pulses, Green Vegetables, Potato, Saag, Nutrela Soya Chunks), Besan Curry, Plain Dal, Green Salad, Fruits and Sprouts, Plain Rice, Zeera Rice, Khichdi 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 Naan (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), Reweri, Phulian Makhane, Murmara, Dry Petha, Amla Muraba, Fruit Muraba and Green Coconut.
Meanwhile the items completely banned are all Non Veg foods, Alcohol, Tobacco, Gutka, Pan Masala, Smoking, other intoxicants, Heavy Pullav / Fried Rice, Poori, Bathura, Piza, Burgar, Stuffed Parantha, Dosa and Fried Roti, Bread with Butter, Cream Based Foods, Pickle, Chutney, Fried Papad, Chowmein and all other Fried / 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.
In 2022, the 43-day yatra started on June 30 and concluded on August 11 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
In total, 3.65 pilgrims performed darshan at the cave shrine of Amarnath in 2022. The figure was the highest in the past five years.