Pilgrimage going on smoothly, 3.28 lakh pay obeisance so far

SRINAGAR :  Fresh batches of pilgrims today left Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps for Amarnath cave shrine at 13,500 feet in south Kashmir Himalayas, where about 3.28 yatris have paid obeisance since the commencement of the 59-day-long pilgrimage from July 2.
Weather was pleasant and pilgrimage is going on smoothly from both tracks, a Yatra Control Room (YCR) official told.
He said yesterday, 3,081 pilgrims, including women, sadhus and children, paid obeisance at the holy Cave. With this, a total of 3,27,501 yatris had darshan of the self-made ice Shivlingam at the cave shrine since the commencement annual yatra  which will conclude on August 29 on Rakshabandhan.
Fresh batch of pilgrims, including women, sadhus and children, left Baltal base camp in the central Kashmir district of Ganderbal for the holy cave shrine.
He said the yatris are expected to cover the 16-km-long distance on foot before paying obeisance at the cave shrine today.
The official said yatris, who had night halt near the cave shrine after having darshan, have also started their return journey to Baltal base camp.
He said fresh batches of pilgrims also left Nunwan Pahalgam base camp for Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on the traditional route.       The sky is cloudy.
Though majority of the pilgrims will start their foot journey towards the next halting station.      Similarly pilgrims, who had night halt at Chandanwari and other halting station have also started their journey towards the cave shrine early this morning.  (AGENCIES)