18,599 devotees pay obeisance at Amarnath shrine

SRINAGAR:
Over 18,500 pilgrims today paid obeisance at the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas as the annual yatra was going on smoothly amid tight security arrangements, officials said.
“On the 13th day of the ongoing Amarnathji Yatra today, 18,599 Yatris paid obeisance at the Holy Cave,” an official spokesperson said.
So far 1,86,050 pilgrims visited the naturally formed ice-Shivlingam at the cave shrine since the yatra commenced on July 2 from the twin routes, Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district.
The spokesperson said the yatra was going on smoothly from both the sides despite brief disruption by intermittent rains over the past two days.
“Given the heavy rush of pilgrims, the number of devotees visiting the cave shrine is expected to cross the two lakh mark by tomorrow,” he said.
Seven pilgrims have so far died of natural causes, mostly cardiac arrest, during the yatra which is scheduled to end on August 29. (AGENCIES)