Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, June 29: Over 13,000 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath Ji on Saturday, the first day of the annual pilgrimage in the South Kashmir Himalayas that is being conducted amid tight security.
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Meanwhile, a fresh batch of 4029 pilgrims left for twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam in a cavalcade of 200 vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here early this morning under tight security arrangements. Among them, 2179 pilgrims left for longest and traditional Pahalgam track while 1850 preferred shortest Baltal route.
The first batch of pilgrims had left the twin base camps in Baltal in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and Nunwan-Pahalgam in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district to start their journey to the cave shrine located at an altitude of 3,880 metres early this morning.
As per reports, 13,827 pilgrims paid obeisance to naturally formed Ice Lingam in holy cave by this evening. The maximum number of these pilgrims came via Baltal track while others came through choppers. The pilgrims after performing darshan started their return journey towards Baltal.
-Excelsior/Rakesh
The enthusiastic pilgrims left the twin base camps for onwards sojourn early this morning chanting “Bum Bum Bhole and Baba Barfani Ki Jai.”
The Yatra started early morning from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal track in Ganderbal.
“As many as 13, 827 pilgrims visited the cave shrine to have darshan of the naturally formed ice lingam on the first day,” an official said.
Among the pilgrims were 3,300 females, 52 children, 102 sadhus, and 682 security personnel who visited the shrine from the two routes
Stringent security arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of the Yatra.
Thousands of security personnel from the police, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and other paramilitary forces have been deployed along the route. Aerial surveillance is also being carried out.
The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19.
Meanwhile, Central Public Sector Undertaking ONGC has set up two 100-bed hospitals at the twin Amarnath base camps in Kashmir and announced that the facilities would continue to operate after the annual yatra.
More than 4.5 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine last year.
Reports said that there is a huge rush of pilgrims at twin base camps of Nunwan and Baltal. Thousands of yatris have reached the two base camps from different parts of the country to embark upon the holy yatra of Shri Amarnath Ji.
The enthusiastic Yatris while talking to Excelsior at Baltal said they are fully satisfied with the arrangements made by the administration and Shrine Board. Some yatris who are visiting the cave shrine for last many years said that the arrangements are much better this time and yatris don’t face any problem.
They also expressed their happiness over the hospitality shown by the local people of Kashmir who greeted yatris at many places enroute after entering Valley of Kashmir. “Such a gesture of local people will go a long way in restoring the traditional composite culture and brotherhood in Kashmir valley”, Harish Kumar, a pilgrim from Sangli Maharashtra who is visiting holy cave for sixth time this year said.
As the second batch of pilgrims reached Anantnag today from here, they were greeted by a team of J&K BJP activists led by National Executive Member of the party and Seh Prabhari Kashmir, Rafiq Ahmed Wani by garlanding them.
The Yatris who left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas early this morning for twin base camps of Nunwan -Pahalgam and Baltal have reached to their destinations by this evening where from they will leave for onwards sojourn early tomorrow morning.
The rush of pilgrims is also increasing since yesterday with thousands of yatris today also reached here from different parts of the country to leave for darshan of holy cave.
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