JAMMU, Aug 8: More than 500 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for the Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas amid tight security on Thursday, officials said.
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More than five lakh pilgrims have already offered their prayers at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine during this year’s yatra, surpassing the 4.5 lakh devotees who paid obeisance at the naturally-formed ice lingam last year.
The 41st batch of 574 pilgrims left the base camp at 3:30 am in a convoy of 17 vehicles escorted by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police, the officials said.
All the pilgrims opted for the shorter but steeper 14-kilometre Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The traditional 48-kilometre route passes through Pahalgam in Anantnag district.
The annual yatra commenced on June 29 and is scheduled to conclude on August 19.
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