Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 24: On the 26th day of pilgrimage over 9000 Yatris drawn from different parts of country paid obeisance at holy cave of Swami Amarnath Ji on Wednesday while a fresh batch of 2907 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas for twin base camps of Baltal -Sonmarag in Central Kashmiri’s Ganderbal district and Nunwan -Pahalgam in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district under tight security arrangements early this morning in a cavalcade of 103 light and heavy vehicles.
Officials said on the 26th day of pilgrimage 9104 Yatris paid obeisance to naturally formed Ice Shivlingam in Himalayan cave situated at an altitude of 3888 meters in South Kashmir. With this the total number of pilgrims who visited cave shrine since the 52 day long yatra started on June 29 has reached 4,26,613. Among them majority of pilgrims have returned to their home states while others are on the way.
Officials said it drizzled in the morning in Yatra area and at cave shrine but pilgrimage proceeded smoothly during the day from both Baltal and Chandanwari tracks. The Yatris who performed darshan in the cave shrine also started their return journey towards Baltal Base camp and Panchtarni haltage camp on Pahalgam-Chandanwari track.
Officials said that thousands of pilgrims are daily reaching the base camps for their onwards yatra to holy cave. There are about five thousand pilgrims each at Nunwan and Baltal base camps. Some of them are on way to holy cave and others are returning back to their respective home states.
Officials said the pilgrims who reported at twin base camps yesterdays started their onwards sojourn towards holy cave early this morning both from Baltal track and Chandanwari track.
Officials said among the 2907 pilgrims who left from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas towards twin base camps in Kashmir Valley this morning included 2494 male, 598 female, 11 children, 91 Sadhus and 13 Sadhvis.
Among them 1134 pilgrims preferred the shortest and terrain Baltal track while 2907 preferred traditional and longest Chandanwari track. These pilgrims will leave for holy cave from their respective base camps early tomorrow morning. While the pilgrims who leave via Baltal track reach holy cave by tomorrow evening those preferring the Chandanwari track have to spent three nights one each at Chandanwari haltage camp, Sheshnag and Panchtarni
camps respectively before reaching holy cave for darshan. The 52 -day long Yatra to Himalayan cave will culminate on Sawan Purnima falling on August 19.
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