SRINAGAR:Despite intermittent rain during night, the annual Amarnath yatra from Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam tracks was going on smoothly as fresh batches of yatris left for the holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas early this morning.
However, in the past one week, the number of people, undertaking the pilgrimage to Amarnath cave, witnessed a decline as self made Ice-Shivlingam has started melting because of increase in the mercury and heavy rush of pilgrims during the first three weeks, when the number exceeded the daily limit of 5,000 from each side-Baltal and Pahalgam.
There was intermittent rain during the night at several places on both tracks but with the improvement in the weather this morning, fresh batches of pilgrims left Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps for the holy Cave, a Yatra Control Room (YCR) official told.
He said the weather was now pleasant and the pilgrimage was going on smoothly. He said about 350 pilgrims, including women, children and two sadhus, left Baltal base camp for the holy shrine early this morning.
The number could increase when the pilgrims, who had night halt at Manigam and Sumbal transit camps, will reach Baltal, he said, adding that the number has witnessed drop during the past about one week, particularly after the cloudburst on July 24 evening at Baltal.
The pilgrims, who left Baltal, will reach the cave shrine this afternoon to pay obeisance, he said, adding that similarly pilgrims, who had night halt near cave after darshan of the Ice Shivlingam are also returning to base camp.
The YCR officials said about 700 pilgrims left Nunwan Pahalgam base camp for Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on traditional 45-km-long route.
Similarly, pilgrims who had night halt at different halting stations on the route have also started their foot journey towards the cave shrine early this morning.
Yesterday, 3,673 pilgrims, including women, children and sadhus from different parts of the country paid obeisance at the Cave shrine at 13,500 feet. This was the lowest number of yatris performing Puja at the cave shrine since the commencement of the 59-day-long pilgrimage from July 2.
Earlier lowest was 4,632 on July 26. However, on July 12, only 1,660 had paid obeisance after pilgrims could not reach from winter capital, Jammu due to closure of the national highway connecting the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country for about two days.
The highest 20,822 pilgrims had paid obeisance on July 6 followed by 19,911 on July 8.The SASB had announced that only 5,000 pilgrims will be allowed from each Baltal and Pahalgam tracks to avoid rush at halting stations and near the cave shrine. (AGENCIES)
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