Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 19 : The AYUSH Department organised a special yoga session for Amarnath Yatra pilgrims at Mattan in Anantnag district as part of its ongoing wellness initiative.
Scores of devotees participated in this special Yoga session, which focused on breathing exercises, meditation, and basic yoga postures to help ease the physical strain of the pilgrimage.

Officials from the department stated that the initiative aims to promote holistic health and boost immunity among the yatris. The session also included awareness about Ayurvedic remedies and lifestyle tips suitable for high-altitude travel.
Pilgrims expressed gratitude, saying the yoga exercises provided much-needed relief and rejuvenation during the demanding journey. Free medicine was also distributed among the devotees
Vikram, a devotee, told ANI, "....We get mental peace. I would like to say that to make the Yatra successful, the pilgrims should practice the Yoga".

He also stated that the Ayush department is providing them with free medicines on a regular basis. "...Medicines are being provided to all the Yatri's.
Ravi Jotshi, another devotee, said, "We are very grateful to the Ayush Department for conducting the Yoga in two sessions. I took part in both sessions. It is beneficial. There is no harm. They make us do breathing exercises to help us in trekking towards the Amarnath cave shrine, (located at an altitude of 14,000 feet)".
Syeed Taskeena (Yoga instructor) told ANI, " I supervise one session in the morning and another in the evening. Many pilgrims come here. I teach them breathing exercises to help them onward with their journey. We also held counselling here for them".
Dr Mehbooba Parveen (In-charge Medical Officer AYUSH) highlighted the preventive measures while speaking with ANI,
"The focus of the department has been on the preventive measures, that is, prevention of diseases, promotion of health. For that, we do (temperament) counselling for them as we do an assessment of the temperament here. Every devotee has an individual temperament as they come from a climate and enter into a different climate".
The official also said that the department is providing medicine free of cost to the devotees.