Nuzhat Mushtaq
Jammu: The ongoing Amarnath Yatra has witnessed a significant turnout, with over 3.75 lakh devotees completing the pilgrimage in the first 21 days. Another batch of 3,471 pilgrims left for the Valley on Saturday, undeterred by intermittent rain and thundershowers.
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According to officials, since the yatra began on June 29, a total of 3.75 lakh devotees have had darshan inside the cave shrine. On Friday alone, over 11,000 devotees braved the inclement weather to pay their respects.
The latest batch of pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in two escorted convoys. The first convoy, comprising 1,073 pilgrims in 35 vehicles, headed for the Baltal base camp, while the second convoy, consisting of 2,398 pilgrims in 79 vehicles, made its way to the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp.
The Amarnath cave shrine, situated at an altitude of 3,888 meters above sea level, houses an ice stalagmite structure that symbolizes Lord Shiva’s mythical powers. Devotees can approach the shrine via the traditional Pahalgam route or the Baltal route, which take four to five days and one day to complete, respectively.
Last year, over 4.5 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine. The pilgrims’ enthusiasm was palpable as they chanted “Bum Bum Bholey” while departing from the Jammu base camp.
The administration, civil society organizations, trade unions and the locals gave a warm welcome to the pilgrims. All arrangements have been made to ensure the safety of the pilgrims.
All arrangements have been made to ensure the safety of the pilgrims. Around 800 CCTV cameras have been installed on the pilgrimage routes. Besides, 500 additional companies of security forces have been deployed.
