Avtar Bhat
SRINAGAR/JAMMU July 12: Enthusiastic to perform the darshan of Shri Amarnathji during this sacred and extremely auspicious month of Shravan in which worshiping of Lord Shiva is considered highly virtuous, thousands of devotees from different parts of country are reaching holy cave daily to pay their obeisance to naturally formed Ice Lingam there.
There is such a high enthusiasm among the pilgrims that on the 14th day of darshan today, over 10,000 yatris paid obeisance at the cave shrine while about 7000 pilgrims left for holy cave from twin tracks of Baltal and Chandanwari this morning.
According to an official spokesman, 10,319 pilgrims paid obeisance at cave shrine today. With this 1,67,937 pilgrims have performed darshan since the 40 day yatra started on June 29.
The spokesman said 3372 pilgrims left for holy cave from Baltal, Sonamarg base camp in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir via Domel track while 3530 pilgrims left for holy cave from Nunwan-Pahalgam base camp via Chandanwari-Sheshnag track in South Kashmir district of Anantnag.
He said the yatris having night halt at Sheshnag and Panchtarni also started their onwards journey to holy cave early this morning.
The spokesman said there is unabated rush of Amarnath pilgrims as thousands of yatris reaching Jammu daily from different areas of country to leave for holy cave.
The spokesman said a fresh batch of 3791 pilgrims in a cavalcade of 150 vehicles chanting Bum Bum Bholey and Baba Barfani Ki Jai left for twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas early this morning under tight security arrangements.
These yatris had reached the base camps of Nunwan and Baltal by this evening, he added.
Meanwhile, 5000 pilgrims are camping at Jammu in Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas and its outskirts. The spokesman said while 1500 pilgrims are putting up at the Yatri Niwas over 3000 are putting outside the Yatri Niwas including Aasa Ram Bapu Ashram adjoining to it. They will leave for holy cave tomorrow, he added.
Meanwhile, two Amarnath pilgrims today died of cardiac arrests near the high altitude cave shrine, officials said.
With this, the death toll has climbed to 18 in the ongoing 40-day yatra in the South Kashmir Himalayas. This includes seven pilgrims killed in the Anantnag terrorist attack on Monday night.
While Rajender Prasad, 64, a Sadhu from Jharkhand, was found dead in Poshpathri, Ashok Mahadev Belwan, 63, from Maharashtra died at Panchtarni.
Prasad was found dead inside a tent near Mahagunus top in the vicinity of the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine, officials said, adding the Sadhu had apparently died of cardiac arrest.
Belwan also died of cardiac arrest at Panchtarni along the traditional Pahalgam-cave route in Anantnag district in the wee hours today, they said.
The 40 day long yatra is scheduled to culminate on August 7, coinciding with the festival of ‘Raksha Bandhan’.
The yatra continued smoothly despite the terrorist attack on a bus in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district in which seven pilgrims were killed and 19 injured on Monday night.
In view of weather forecast predicting light to moderate rain and thundershowers in the cave shrine area and the two tracks, Governor N N Vohra, who is also Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) held a meeting with CEO of the SASB Umang Narula and discussed the measures to be taken so that the pilgrims don’t face problems due to inclement weather on yatra tracks.
The Governor directed the CEO to ensure that immediate necessary instructions are issued to all camp directors to closely monitor weather conditions.
The CEO was also asked to take timely decisions in consultation with the Indian Meteorological Department and stop movement of yatris when the track conditions are unsafe.
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