Avtar Bhat
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, July 9: Over 14,000 pilgrims performed darshan at holy cave of Swami Amarnath, situated at an altitude of 3,880 meters in deep Himalayas in South Kashmir district of Anantnag today.
According to an official spokesman 14,280 yatris performed darshan in holy cave by late this evening. This has taken the total number of pilgrims visiting the holy cave in last 12 days of yatra to 1,71,613. A total number of 1,57, 333 pilgrims had performed darshan in cave shrine till yesterday from shortest Baltal and traditional Chandanwari tracks, spokesman added.
The majority of yatris who performed the darshan in holy cave today have started their return journey from both Baltal and Chandanwari tracks. Those who left via Baltal track were near to reach the base camp while those who left via Chandanwari track had reached Panchtarni, spokesman added.
He said despite the downpour in the morning 5,203 pilgrims’ left Nunwan-Pahalgam base camp for holy cave and after two night halts at Sheshnag and Panchtarni these yatris will perform darshan at cave shrine on July 11.
He said 6,000 pilgrims left from Baltal for holy cave early this morning under tight security arrangements.
These pilgrims had reached holy cave by the evening while majority of them have started their return journey also, he added.
The spokesman said it was drizzling both at Nunwan, Baltal base camps and the yatra track during the morning. But weather later improved and yatra proceeded smoothly without suspending it at any place.
Giving the weather forecast for tomorrow the spokesman said there would be isolated rain fall and thunder showers at yatra route.
Meanwhile, the yatris coming from different parts of the country are facing hardships as authorities ask them to go for fresh registration on one pretext or other.
A group of 15 pilgrims from West Bengal led by Himant Roy were asked by police to seek fresh registration from Srinagar yesterday after not allowing to cross entry gate at Gosani Padav Pahalgam on the pretext that their Identity was not proper.
Later they got the fresh registration by paying Rs 100 as charges to J&K Bank which they had already paid while seeking registration in their state. This way the yatris are put to monetary loss as well as making fresh registration proves a cumbersome job for them. Roy said many yatris have returned without darshan this way.
A fresh batch of 1,951 pilgrims also left Bhagwati Nagar Jammu base camp for holy cave early this morning despite heavy downpour in a cavalcade of 58 vehicles under tight security arrangements.
They included 1,476 male, 353 female, 25 children and 97 Sadhus. The convoy, had crossed the Jawahar Tunnel by the evening and were on their way to Nunwan and Baltal base camps respectively.
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