SRINAGAR: Amid concerns about the health of pilgrims, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) has taken a firm stance against junk and unhealthy food during this year’s Himalayan pilgrimage. Popular food items such as halwa puri, samosas, jalebi, gulab jamun, and more will not be served to Yatris.
The 62-day long Amaranth Yatra is scheduled to commence on July 1. To cater to the needs of the pilgrims along the Pahalgam and Baltal routes leading to the cave shrine, SASB has planned the establishment of over 120 langars (community kitchens).
An official from SASB emphasised the organization’s focus on pilgrims’ health and announced the release of a list comprising permitted and banned meals and food items at the langars.
The list of banned and permitted items has also been shared with the langar authorities.
The prohibited food items include poori, bathura, pizza, burger, stuffed parantha, dosa, fried roti, bread with butter, cream-based foods, pickle, chutney, fried papad, chowmein, and all other fried or fast foods. Additionally, cold drinks, karrah halwa, jalebi, gulab jamun, laddu, khoya burfi, rasgulla, and all other halwai items, as well as snacks high in fat and salts such as chips/kurkure, matthi, namkeen mixture, pakora, samosa, fried dry fruits, and all other deep-fried items are also prohibited. Non-vegetarian foods, alcohol, tobacco, gutka, pan masala, cigarettes, and other intoxicants are strictly banned as well.
On the other hand, the permitted menu consists of cereals, pulses, green vegetables, green salad, fruits and sprouts, rice, jaggery, sambar, idli, uttapam, poha, herbal tea, coffee, low-fat curd, sharbat, lemon squash/water, figs, raisins, apricots, and other dry fruits.
In addition, the Director of Health Services in Jammu and Kashmir has issued a directive to all relevant officials, instructing them not to approve or forward leave applications from doctors and paramedical staff during the yatra period. This measure aims to ensure the availability of healthcare professionals to attend to the needs of the pilgrims.
