SRINAGAR: A fresh batch of pilgrims left Baltal and Nunwan Pahlgam base camps early this morning for holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalyas, where 29,182 had paid obeisance and darshan of the self made Ice-Shivlingam till last evening since the commencement of the annual yatra from June 29.
2799 pilgrims left Jammu for base camps in Kashmir this morning.
A yatra official said that over 5000 pilgrims, including women and sadhus left Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps for the holy cave early this morning. The yatris had arrived here yesterday after remaining stranded at Bagwati Nagar base camp, Jammu, following closure of the highway, connecting Kashmir with rest of the country, due to landslides on June 30.
Amid chanting of bam Bam bolay and har har mahadev, a fresh batch of pilgrims, including women and sadhus, left Baltal base camp in central Kashmir district of Ganderbal for cave shrine.
The yatris are expected to reach the cave shrine this afternoon to pay obeisance before starting return journey later in the afternoon. However, some pilgrims would like to have night halt in the camp near the shrine.
Meanwhile, pilgrims who had also night halt at base camp near holy cave are on way back to Baltal base camp. Similarly a fourth batch of pilgrims left Nunwan Pahalgam base camp for Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on traditional yatra route.
The pilgrims who had night halt at Chandanwari and other halting station on traditional Pahalgam route have also started their onward journey towards the cave shrine early this morning.
Pilgrims who had night halt at Panjterni are on way to holy cave to have the darshan of the Ice Shivlingam, official sources said adding many of them had paid obeisance there since this morning.
Officials said that 14,935 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine yesterday.
With this a total of 29,182 pilgrims had darshan of the Ice-Shivlingam in the first three days of the commencement of the annual pilgrimage from June 29 from both shortest Baltal and traditional Nunwan Phalgam tracks. (AGENCIES)
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