Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, July 6: The 55-day long annual Swami Amarnath Yatra which started on June 28 is running smoothly with 13,587 pilgrims performing darshan of Ice Lingam on 9th day of pilgrimage today at holy cave.
According to an official spokesman, 13,587 pilgrims from different parts of country performed darshan at holy cave today. With this the total number of pilgrims paying obeisance to Ice Lingam of Lord Shiva so far has reached 1,16,614 in last nine days.
The spokesman said 4,824 pilgrims left Nunwan Base Camp for holy cave via traditional Chandanwari track under a tight security cover. Another batch of 3,604 pilgrims left from Baltal Base Camp via shortest track. Besides 1507 pilgrims left by chopper, he added.
The spokesman said 1,297 pilgrims had reached Baltal after performing darshan in the holy cave by foot till late this evening while 1377 had returned by air.
The spokesman said that the weather at Baltal and Phalgam was pleasant but it was cloudy at Panjtarni in the morning that delayed the chopper service for some time.
The spokesman said a 38-year-old pilgrim died of cardiac arrest after paying obeisance at the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine, taking the death toll in the ongoing yatra to three.
Satinder Soni, a resident of Ludhiana in Punjab, breathed his last at Brarimarg while returning to Baltal Base Camp from the cave shrine last evening, the officials said.
His death raised the number of pilgrims who died during the ongoing yatra to three.
Meanwhile, a fresh batch of 3,250 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Jammu Yatri Bhawan base camp early this morning for holy cave under tight security arrangements.
They included 2,452 male, 720 female, 28 children and 50 Sadhus. They left in a cavalcade of 93 vehicles. The convoys had crossed the Jawahar Tunnel by this evening and were on their way to Nunwan and Baltal Base Camps. This was the 10th batch of yatris who left Jammu base camp for holy cave.
However, the registration has been still a problem for the yatris coming from different states and despite the repeated pleas of various social and religious organizations the authorities have not settled the issue to the satisfaction of pilgrims.
A group of 25 pilgrims at Pahalgam said that they had already got the registration for the second week of July but had come in advance by one week. On reaching Pahalgam the authorities did not allow us to proceed ahead of entry gate and were asked to go for fresh registration at Srinagar.
They said after approaching the registration counters at Nowgam Srinagar they were given different dates of yatra. While some were given date of July 5 others were given of July 6 and 7 while a child was given date of July 10. They said despite their requests the officials did not agree to alter the darshan dates putting them to a lot of trouble.
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