Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, July 21: On the 24th day of pilgrimage today 2,973 yatris performed darshan in holy cave of Swami Amarnath situated at an altitude of 3,880 metres in deep Himalayas in South Kashmir district of Anantnag today.
With this, the total number of pilgrims performing darshan in cave shrine during the last 24 days of darshan since the yatra started on June 28 has reached 2,93,008.
Till yesterday evening 2,90,035 pilgrims had performed darshan in cave shrine.
An official spokesman said that majority of these yatris had returned to their home states while those who were stranded at Baltal and Pahalgam during two days of curfew in Valley and Ramban district of Jammu region following Gool episode were also on their way to their respective home states.
An official spokesman said 1,253 pilgrims left from Nun-wan -Pahalgam base camp for holy cave via traditional Chandanwari track under tight security measures.
These yatris after covering 35 kilometres of hilly track will perform darshan at holy cave on July 24, the spokesman said, adding the yatris who had a night halt at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni haltage camps respectively also left for their onwards sojourn early this morning.
He said a batch of 1,479 pilgrims left for holy cave from Baltal base camp via shortest track. These included 588 pilgrims who left via chopper, he added.
He said these pilgrims after performing darshan at holy cave have also started their return journey towards Baltal. He said 692 pilgrims had managed to return by air from holy cave to Baltal also today.
The weather enroute to holy cave on both the tracks was pleasant for the day and yatra was proceeding smoothly, spokesman added.
Meanwhile, 24th batch of 1,099 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Jammu base camp under tight security arrangements for the holy cave this afternoon in a cavalcade of 50 vehicles.
They included 850 male, 180 female, 18 children and 51 Sadhus.
These pilgrims will reach the Nunwan and Baltal base camps late in the night where from they will start trekking towards holy cave early tomorrow morning.
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