SRINAGAR : Amid chanting of hymns and religious slogans, fresh batches of pilgrims today left Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps for Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, where about 3.39 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance since the 59-day-long yatra commenced on July 2. The annual yatra will conclude on August 29 when the Silver Mace of Lord Shiva will be taken inside the holy Shrine on Shravan Purnima and Rakshabandan for final pujan.
The weather was pleasant and pilgrimage was going on smoothly, a Yatra Control Room (YCR) official told.
He said 2,351 pilgrims, including women and sadhus, paid obeisance at the cave shrine yesterday. With this a total of 3,38406 yatris had paid obeisance so far.
During the first eight days of Shravan month 23,122 pilgrims had offered pujan at the cave shrine. Due to closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, pilgrims could not reach base camps yesterday.
However, the pilgrims, including women, sadhus and children, who had already arrived here left Baltal base camp in the central Kashmir district of Ganderbal for the holy cave shrine early this morning.
The official said the yatris were expected to cover the 16-km-long distance on foot before paying obeisance at the cave shrine today.
He said yatris, who had night halt near the cave shrine after having darshan, have also started their return journey to Baltal base camp.
Similarly, fresh batches of pilgrims also left Nunwan Pahalgam base camp for Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on the traditional route. However, majority of the pilgrims will start their foot journey towards the next halting station after reaching Chandanwari.
Similarly pilgrims, who had night halt at Chandanwari and other halting stations have also started their journey towards the cave shrine early this morning. (AGENCIES)