Over 24,000 pilgrims visit Amarnath cave shrine, total crosses 2 lakh
Srinagar: The number of pilgrims who paid obeisance to Lord Shiva at Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir crossed the two lakh mark on Monday.
“As many as 24,879 pilgrims performed the yatra on Monday and had darshan of Baba Bholenath on the seventh day of the annual yatra,” the officials said.
They said the number of pilgrims who have been to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine has now reached 2,07,016.
The officials said 16,826 male pilgrims, 5,345 female pilgrims, 398 Sadhus and one Sadhvi were among those who paid obeisance at the cave shrine.
Over 2,000 security forces and 289 children also performed the pilgrimage.
As per the officials, there have been two deaths — a sevadar from Haryana and a pilgrim from Jharkhand — in this year’s yatra. Both the deceased suffered cardiac arrest along the Baltal route in June.
The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19. More than 4.5 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine last year.
Meanwhile, amid tight security arrangements, over 5,800 pilgrims departed from Jammu for the twin base camps of the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Amarnath.
They said the number of pilgrims who have paid obeisance at the cave shine has crossed two lakh.
Escorted by CRPF personnel, the 11th batch of 5,803 pilgrims left for the base camps of Baltal and Palagam in 218 vehicles around 3 am, according to the officials.
While 3,941 pilgrims took the 48-kilometre traditional Pahalgam route for their yatra, the rest took the shorter but steep 14-kilometre Baltal route, they said.
With this, a total of 62,265 pilgrims have departed the Jammu base camp for the valley since June 28 when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch.
The 52-day yatra formally began on June 29 from twin base camps in Kashmir. It will conclude on August 19.
More than 4.5 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine last year.
