Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, July 21: On the day 23rd of Swami Amarnath yatra 4655 pilgrims drawn from different parts of country paid obeisance at holy cave in Lidder Valley in South Kashmir district of Anantnag today.
With this a total number of 2,31,997 pilgrims had visited the holy cave since the 40 day long yatra started from Jammu on June 28.
Over 3000 pilgrims left for holy cave from twin base camps of Nunwan Pahalgam in South Kashmir district of Anatnag and Baltal, Sonamarg in Central Kashmir district of Ganderbal.
Out of them 1369 pilgrims left via shortest 14 km Domel track from Baltal Base Camp early this morning while 1713 left via 45 km long traditional Chandanwari-Sheshnag track from Nunwan base camp.
The pilgrims having night haltage at Sheshnag and Panchtarni also started their onwards sojourn this morning, the spokesman said.
He said a batch of 1,141 pilgrims today left Bhagwati Nagar Jammu Yatri Niwas for the 3,888-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine of Lord Shiva in south Kashmir Himalayas.
Escorted by the CRPF and police, the batch consisting of 759 males, 200 females plus 182 sadhus and sadhvis left in a convoy of 42 vehicles for Baltal and Pahalgam base camps, officials said.
With today’s batch, a total of 63,301 pilgrims have left Jammu for the cave shrine in 22 batches since the yatra began from here on June 28.
The number of pilgrims going to Amarnath has been dipping over the last few days.
As many as 4,105 pilgrims left Jammu for Amarnath on July 14, followed by 3,398 pilgrims on July 15,3,603 pilgrims left Jammu on July 16.
A batch of 2,646 pilgrims left Jammu for Amarnath on July 17, followed by 2,224 on July 18, 1,877 on July 19 and 1,782 pilgrims on July 20.
The 40-day pilgrimage that started from here on June 28 will conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 7 when holy mace (Chhari Mubarak) of Lord Shiva will reach cave shrine for darshan.
The government has mobilised a heavy security blanket of over 35,000 to 40,000 troops including the police, the Army, the BSF and CRPF.
The annual yatra began this year amid a terror threat, with intelligence reports warning of probable attack which prompted the authorities to mobilise the “highest level” of security, including satellite tracking system.
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