Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 17: As the annual holy Amarnath yatra is on its last leg, 272 pilgrims drawn from different parts of country performed darshan at the cave shrine today.
According to an official spokesman, 272 pilgrims performed darshan at the cave shrine situated at an altitude of 3880 metres in Lidder Valley of South Kashmir district of Anantnag.
With this the total number of pilgrims performing darshan in holy cave since the yatra started on June 28 has touched 3,53,002, the spokesman said, adding
3,52,730 lakh pilgrims had performed darshan in holy cave till yesterday evening.
He said 159 pilgrims left from Baltal base camp to holy cave via shortest track for darshan today while only 30 pilgrims left from Nunwan-Pahalgam base camp for holy cave via traditional Chandanwari track this morning.
He said there was a down pour during the morning both at Pahalgam and Baltal and enroute to holy cave but the weather improved later.
He said the Chhari Mubarak (holy mace) of Lord Shiva will leave for Chandanwari from Pahalgam early tomorrow morning. Led by Mahant Deepender Giri the custodian of the holy mace, it will have a night halt at Chandanwari tomorrow and next day it will leave for Sheshnag. After a night halt at Sheshnag on August 19 it will leave for Panchtarni on August 20. From Panchtarni it will leave early in the morning of Sawan Purnima coinciding with Raksha Bandhan festival on August 21 for holy cave. After performing darshan at cave shrine on August 21 the holy mace will return for Panchtarni in the evening, he added.
Meanwhile, a fresh batch of 255 pilgrims left for holy cave from here early this morning in seven vehicles, the spokesman said.
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