Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 8: With over 24,000 pilgrims performing darshan at Himalayan cave by this evening, the 52 day long holy Amarnath Ji Yatra has crossed 2 lakh in last 10 days since the yatra started on June 29 from twin tracks of Baltal -Sonamarg and Nunwan -Pahalgam.
Besides, the eleventh batch of 5,803 pilgrims drawn from different parts of country left for twin base camps of Nunwan -Pahalgam in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district and Baltal -Sonamarg in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district in a cavalcade of 218 light and heavy vehicles under tight security measures from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here early this morning, officials said.
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They said 24,879 pilgrims performed darshan of Ice Shivlingam at Himalayan cave situated at an altitude of 3888 meteres in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. With this, a total number of 20,7016 pilgrims visited holy cave in last 10 days of yatra.
Officials said there is heavy rush of pilgrims as thousands of yatris are reaching holy cave from both the tracks as well as through special chopper services daily.
They said weather in the cave shrine area remained partly cloudy.
Officials said over 11,000 pilgrims were at Chandanwari while thousands of pilgrims were camping at Baltal base camp and other camps on way to the cave shrine.
Officials said among the 24,879 pilgrims who performed darshan at cave shrine today included 16826 male, 5345 females, 289 children, 398 Sadhus, one Sadhvi besides 2020 security personnel and service providers.
The yatris after performing darshan returned towards the Baltal base camp and Panchtarni the last camp towards cave shrine on traditional and longest Chandanwari track.
Officials said 15,828 pilgrims returned to Domail after darshan at holy cave by this evening.
They said the pilgrims who reached the twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan yesterday have left for holy cave early this morning while the yatris who left from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas this morning have reached to their respective base camps by this evening. They will leave for holy cave from there early tomorrow morning.
Officials said among the 5803 pilgrims who left from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas for twin base camps today included 5521 male, 1139 female, nine children, 124 Sadhus and 10 Sadhvis. Among them 1862 preferred the shortest Baltal track while 3941 opted for longest and traditional Nunwan-Pahalgam track.
Meanwhile, yatris and service providers expressed concern over the non functioning of some telecom services in the yatra area today putting them to lot of trouble. “There was no network available during the day which added to our problems as we could not contact our family members and relatives,” said Balwant Kumar, a pilgrim camping at Panchtarni.
Officials said the unabated rush of pilgrims is continuing and thousands of yatris reached here from different parts of country today also for their onwards journey to cave shrine.
Over 4000 pilgrims are camping at Yatri Niwas while thousands more are camping in Saraswati Dham and Vaishnavi Dham near Railway Station, officials added.
The 52 -day long pilgrimage which started on June 29 will culminate on August 19.
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