Amarnath Yatra 2023: Jalebi, chhola bhaturas, halwa poori among several popular foods banned; Here's why

In its health advisory, the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board has banned cold drinks, crunchy snacks, deep fried and fast food items that could prove detrimental to the health of pilgrims on the arduous trek. It is forbidden to eat heavier dishes like chhola-bhatura, pooris, pizza, burgers, dosas, and chowmein when travelling to the Amarnath sacred cave.

Amarnath Yatra 2023 registration is already open, and the 62-day pilgrimage to the sacred site will start on July 1 and end on August 31, 2023. The sacred location is located in the Ladar Valley, 12,756 feet above sea level, 141 miles from Srinagar, the capital city of Jammu and Kashmir. 

But do you know you can no longer have cold drinks, fast food items, heavy sweets like jalebi and halwa, pooris and chhola bhaturas on the pilgrimage. The Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board has prohibited a number of foods in its yearly health advise for the rigorous yatra that could be harmful to the health of pilgrims on the journey.

A thorough food menu has been prepared in order to serve and sell food to the pilgrims and service providers. This menu will be relevant to Langar organisations, food stalls, stores, and other facilities that emerge in the yatra region. The idea is to keep pilgrims from devouring "unhealthy" items as they struggle through the challenging 14-km journey over mountainous terrain and high elevations.

The meal menu prohibits the eating of non-vegetarian food, alcohol, tobacco, gutka, pan masala, smoking, and other intoxicants due to religious grounds. While herbal tea, coffee, low-fat milk, fruit juices, lemon squash, and vegetable soup are allowed when travelling, aerated cold drinks are also not allowed.

Regular rice and light cuisine like roasted chana, poha, idli, dal-roti, and chocolate are permitted but fried rice is not. A few appropriate foods are oats, dried fruits, honey, kheer, and boiling sweets. However, it is forbidden to eat heavier dishes like chhola-bhatura, pooris, pizza, burgers, dosas, and chowmein when travelling to the Amarnath sacred cave.

All halwai foods, including halwa, jalebi, gulab jamun, ladoos, barfi, and rasgullas, as well as salty and fatty crunchy snacks, as well as much-liked goods like Kurkure and namkeen combinations, have been excluded from the food menu. Samosas and pakoras are prohibited as well.

About 42 pilgrims passed away in 2022 at the Amaranth Yatra as a result of natural causes. The government has put safety precautions in place for pilgrims, including setting up hospitals and putting oxygen booths along the yatra route. Additionally, they ensure that pilgrims possess the required health documentation.

RFID tags have been used to monitor the yatris' welfare since last year. This year's health tip is an extra precaution to ensure that pilgrims 'eat appropriately' while on the journey in order to be in good physical condition.