*Heavy rain, hailstorm lash yatra area; snowfall in Gouri Kund
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 14: Braving heavy downpour and hailstorm, nearly 15,000 pilgrims drawn from different parts of the country today paid obeisance to naturally formed Ice Shivlingam at Himalayan cave situated at an altitude of 3888 meters in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district while a fresh batch of 4889 pilgrims left from Bhagawati Nagar Yatri Niwas here towards the twin base camps of Nunwan Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal Sonamarg in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district under tight security arrangements in a cavalcade of 187 light and heavy vehicles.
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Officials said braving inclement weather, heavy downpour and hailstorm, 14,974 pilgrims paid obeisance at holy cave of Shri Amarnath Ji on the 16th day of pilgrimage today. However, apprehending trouble, yatra was stopped by the authorities after heavy rains did not stop on yatra tracks as well as holy cave. All the yatris who were at cave shrine were shifted to lower cave for haltage and refuge, officials said.
They said that it also snowed at Gauri Kund area which is 12 kilometres ahead of holy cave during the day and entire hillock was covered by a white carpet of snow.
Officials said with the performance of darshan by 14, 974 pilgrims today the total number of yatris who visited holy cave during last 16 days touched 3,09,977. Among the 14,974 pilgrims who performed darshan today included 9785 male, 3435 female, 145 children, 230 Sadhus, one Sadhvi and 1378 security forces and service providers.
Officials said that the pilgrims who had reached twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan also proceeded towards holy cave early this morning while those having night haltage at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni halting stations also started their onwards journey early this morning.
Officials said thousands of pilgrims are camping at Baltal Base camp as well as Nunwan-Pahalgam base camps, besides thousands are also camping at various halting stations on way to cave shrine.
Among the 4889 pilgrims who left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas for twin base camps early this morning included 3672 male, 1086 female, 21 children, 88 Sadhus and 22 Sadhvis.
All these pilgrims reached their respective base camps by this evening wherefrom they will proceed towards holy cave early tomorrow morning for darshan.
Here in Jammu, thousands of pilgrims are reporting daily from different parts of the country to embark on holy pilgrimage which started on June 29. Over 3000 pilgrims have managed their entry in Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas by this evening where from they will leave for twin base camps early tomorrow morning. Thousands of pilgrims and Sadhus are also camping at Saraswati Dham, Vashnavi Dham, Ram Mandir Purani Mandi and Geeta Bhawan also.
The 52-day annual yatra to the holy shrine will culminate on Shravan Purnima coinciding with Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan falling on August 19.
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