Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 1: While a fresh batch of over 1,200 pilgrims early this morning left from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here for the Amarnath cave shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas amid tight security, about 4000 pilgrims drawn from different parts of country performed darshan at holy cave on 34th day of pilgrimage today.
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Officials said that 3949 pilgrims from twin tracks of Baltal and Nunwan -Chandanwari besides special choppers performed darshan at holy cave by this evening.
They included 2086 males, 927 females, 99 children, 93 Sadhus, two transgender and 742 security personnel and service providers.
Officials said with this a total number of 4,80,388 pilgrims visited holy cave in last 34 days since the 52-day long pilgrimage started on June 29.
Officials said that maximum of these pilgrims have returned to their home States while others are on the way. They said the pilgrims who performed the darshan at Himalayan cave today also started their return journey towards the Baltal base camp and Panchtarni last haltage camp enroute Pahalgam.
Officials said the pilgrims who reported at twin base camps of Nunwan and Baltal yesterday also left for their onwards sojourn early this morning.
Officials said, the batch which left from here this morning for twin base camps had the lowest number of devotees since the commencement of the 52-day-long yatra from the twin base camps of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on June 29.
Despite rains, the 35th batch of 1,295 pilgrims, including 182 women, 42 Sadhus and four Sadhvis, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp for the Valley at 3.30 am, the officials said.
While 946 pilgrims are heading for the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route, 349 have opted for the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal trek, the officials said.
They said around 5,000 pilgrims are still visiting the cave shrine on a daily basis to offer their prayers. The pilgrimage will enter its final phase on August 14 when the ‘Charri Mubarak’, the holy mace of Lord Shiva will join the yatra in Pahalgam.
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