Avtar Bhat
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, June 30: While yatra from Jammu to twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan in Kashmir valley remained suspended due to heavy rainfall and blockade of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at Bali Nallah and other spots in Ramban district due to landslides and shooting stones, 8,150 pilgrims paid obeisance at holy cave on the second day of darshan today.
With this, 14,247 pilgrims have performed darshan during last two days in the cave shrine situated at an altitude of 3880 meters in deep Himalayas in South Kashmir district of Anantnag.
However, no Amarnath yatri was allowed to leave for Kashmir valley from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas Jammu this morning due to over night heavy rain fall and landsliding and shooting stones on National Highway at Bali Nallah and other spots in Ramban district.
An official spokesman said that the yatra was not allowed to proceed for two base camps of Nunwan in Pahalgam and Baltal in Sonamarg in view of road blockade as the authorities don’t want to put the pilgrims to any risk.
The yatra from both Baltal and Chandanwari tracks was also suspended temporarily in the morning for three hours due to heavy rains that lashed the Lidder Valley making both shortest Baltal track as well as the traditional Pahalgam -Chandanwari route slippery. But it was later resumed after the weather improved in the afternoon and yatra proceeded normally.
Click here to watch video
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu who was in Srinagar also visited the holy cave today and paid his obeisance to the Ice Lingam of Lord Shiva. The Minister prayed for peace and tranquility in the State and prosperity of nation.
According to official sources, 5,124 pilgrims left Nunwan for holy cave via Chandanwari Sheshnag track while 4828 pilgrims left from Baltal via shortest 14 km track to holy cave this afternoon. He said by this evening 8150 pilgrims had performed darshan in the holy cave.
Despite inclement weather conditions, the yatris are in high spirits as heavy rush of pilgrims was reported at Sheshnag, Panchtarni and Baltal. Sources said a large number of yatris are directly leaving towards Kashmir valley for holy cave without entering the Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar Jammu and a large number of such yatri vehicles are also stranded on Highway as no vehicle was allowed to proceed to Valley.
The stranded yatris at Jammu said that they will not mind for road blockade and wait till the Highway is opened for traffic. They said that they had come for pilgrimage and will not return without the darshan of Baba Barfani.
“We have travelled from far off places like Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala and will not return without darshan of Swami Amarnath”, said Ram Kirpal a pilgrim from Patna, Bihar who was heading a group of 30 pilgrims.
“Our darshan date was on July 1 via Baltal but the yatra could not leave for base camps today so it will be delayed by a day or two, he said. But we are determined to have darshan of cave shrine, the abode of Lord Shiva”, he added.
According to Additional DC Jammu, Arun Manhas over 5500 pilgrims were stranded at Jammu in various community halls and Yatri Niwas. He said alone at Yatri Niwas Bhagwati Nagar there are over 1800 pilgrims while others were taken to Aasa Ram Bapu Ashram adjacent to Yatri Niwas.
In addition to it, the pilgrims are putting up in Aggarwal Sabha, Ravi Dass Sabha, Geeta Bhawan, etc while the Sadhus are putting up at Purani Mandi temple. The authorities have made all arrangements for the pilgrims especially of their boarding and lodging at Jammu so that they don’t face any problem during their stay, he added.
According to some yatris who reached the Yatri Niwas late last night they had to take shelter in the corridor of Yatri Niwas for the whole night due to paucity of space as all halls and rooms were already booked.
The authorities said that in case the weather improves, the yatris will be allowed to leave for twin base camps in the morning tomorrow from Jammu.
Meanwhile in addition to heavy deployment of Army, BSF, CRPF and J&K Police personnel, four companies of 66th Battalion of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) have been deployed at different community halls, temples including Railway Station Jammu for the safety and security of Amarnath pilgrims.
The Company Commander of 66 th Battalion Ajay Kumar has given instructions to the jawans to maintain a strict vigil. In addition to this,11 companies of SSB have been deployed in Jammu while 12 companies in Kashmir for safety and security of Amarnath pilgrims.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
