(Photo: Prasar Bharati)

India’s public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati, is providing live coverage of one of the most exhausting and dangerous pilgrimage in Hinduism – a climb up a narrow path to reach a holy cave shrine high in the Himalayas.

The Amarnath Yatra began on 30 June and will end on 11 August. An estimated 700,000 pilgrims are taking part in the five-day climb this year to the Amarnath shrine in Jammu and Kashmir.

Usually an annual pilgrimage, it is taking place after a two-year break because of the pandemic.

All India Radio Srinagar is carrying out live broadcasts for 16 hours each day from Baltal, a camping ground for pilgrims, where it has set up FM transmission and studio facilities.

A special platform has been created on Prasar Bharati’s NewsOnAir app to help ensure pilgrims receive these broadcasts.

The public television broadcaster, Doordarshan, is also providing live coverage of the pilgrimage including the puja rituals, or acts of worship, by the pilgrims.

Prasar Bharati News Services is issuing regular tweets on the progress of the pilgrims and the conditions they face along the way.