SRINAGAR : Despite cloudy weather since early this morning a fresh batch of 510 yatris left Baltal and Nunwan base camps for Holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, where 3.50 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance since June 28 when the yatra commenced.
A yatra official said 265 yatris, including women and sadhus, left Baltal base camp early this morning for the Holy cave.
He said 245 yatris also left Nunwan Pahalgam base camp early this morning for the cave shrine. However, the yatris will have make a night halt at Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on the traditional route.
He said those who had night halt at different halting stations on the track also started their onward journey towards the shrine this morning.
The number of yatris this time has dropped considerably mainly due to Uttarakhand disaster and Shri Amarnath Shrine Boards (SASB) decision not allowing any unregistered yatra for undertaking the pilgrimage.
Last year, more than 6.50 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine during 2012-pilgrimage. More than 120 pilgrims died due to health problems, mainly heart failure.
Due to strict precautionary measures, including not allowing unregistered pilgrims, yatris below the age of 13 years and above 75 years besides pregnant women, the number of pilgrim deaths has declined.
About 16 pilgrims have died during the pilgrimage owing to health problems.
(AGENCIES)
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