Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 8: The rush of Amarnath Ji yatra has constantly decreased for over last one week and on the 39th day of darshan today, over 2000 pilgrims paid obeisance of naturally formed Ice Shivlingam at 3888 feet high holy cave in the Himalayan region of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Officials said 2,736 pilgrims drawn from different parts of the country performed darshan at cave shrine from twin tracks of Baltal and Nunwan-Phalgam by this evening.
They said that a total number of 4,24, 969 pilgrims visited the holy cave in last 39 days since the two month long yatra started on July 1 this year.
Among the yatris who performed darshan today included a team of Times India of Group from Mumbai and Chandigarh. They highly appreciated the arrangements made by UT administration as well as Shrine Board. Talking to this reporter, they said they did not face any in convenience while performing darshan and the authorities have made fool-proof security arrangements for the pilgrims in entire yatra area. They wished to visit again to the holy cave in future.
The team comprising of Shiv Kumar, CEO Publishing, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Director and Vishal Sharma, Chandigarh Head. It was headed by Opinder Koul, J&K in charge.
Meanwhile, a batch of 451 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here for the Kashmir Valley under tight security arrangements to undertake the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, early this morning officials said.
The batch, the smallest so far, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in a convoy of 18 vehicles for the twin base camps in Pahalgam and Baltal between 3.30 am and 3.45 am, the officials said.
Among them the traditional 48-kilometre Nunwan-Pahalgam route was chosen by 303 pilgrims, including 26 women and 20 seers. The shorter but more challenging 14-kilometre Baltal route was preferred by the remaining 148, including 25 women.
The 62 -day long yatra will culminate on Sawan Purnima coinciding with Rakshan Bandhan festival when holy mace of Lord Shiva led by its sole custodian Mahant Dependra Giri Ji will reach cave shrine from its abode Dashnami Akhara , Srinagar for darshan.
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