Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 24: There was not let up in enthusiasm among the pilgrims of Baba Amarnath ji as 6035 more yatris today performed darshan at holy cave shrine in Anantnag district taking total number of pilgrims, who have performed darshan of Lord Shiva during 27 days of 55 days long annual pilgrimage to 3.12 lakh
Official sources said 6035 yatris, who had reached the cave of Baba Amarnath ji from Baltal and Pahalgam tracks as well as by air performed the darshan during the day till 8 pm, when the darshans are stopped.
With today’s darshan, a total of 3,12,562 pilgrims have so far offered obeisance to Lord Shiva during first 27 days of pilgrimage that began on June 28 and would conclude on August 21 coinciding with Raksha Bandhan and Sharavan Purnima.
“The yatra is progressing smoothly from both traditional Pahalgam-Chandanwari and shorter Baltal tracks,’’ sources said, adding the weather is also fine.
Most of the pilgrims, who performed darshan by this afternoon, started their return journey while those having darshan late in the evening were staying at the cave shrine and would start returning tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, a fresh batch of 2448 pilgrims today left Baltal for darshan of Amarnath shrine while 1403 pilgrims left for darshan from Pahalgam-Chandanwari. About 885 pilgrims left for the cave by air and returned after performing darshan.
Sources said the weather was initially cloudy on Chandanwari track but it improved as the day progressed.
Meanwhile, a batch of 659 pilgrims today left Jammu base camp for the Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas.
A convoy of 21 vehicles, carrying 659 devotees, left from Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu at around 4.45 am to pay obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine.
The 27th batch of pilgrims, which included 467 men, 140 women and 9 children, apart from 43 Sadhus, are on way to twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal in the Kashmir Valley.
With today’s batch, a total of 47,106 pilgrims have left Jammu base camp for Amarnath shrine so far in the official convoy that leaves daily from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas around 5 am.
However, majority of pilgrims preferred to proceed directly to Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camps.
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