JAMMU, July 20: With over 16,800 pilgrims paying obeisance at 3880 metre high Himalayan cave in South Kashmir district of Anantnag from twin tracks of Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam today, Shri Amarnath yatra has crossed three lakh in last 18 days of the pilgrimage.Officials said 16,886 pilgrims drawn from different parts of the country paid obeisance at naturally formed Ice Shivlingam in holy cave by this evening. With this, total number of 3,03,984 yatris have visited the holy cave so far.
Among the 16,886 pilgrims who performed darshan today included 11,188 males, 4936 females, 218 children, 74 Sadhus, seven Sadhvis and 463 security personnel, officials said. All of them started their return journey towards Domail camp and Panchtarni after performing darshan, officials added.
They said that the holy yatra is proceeding smoothly from both the tracks.
Meanwhile, the 20th batch of 4,388 pilgrims, including 900 women, left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here on Sunday to offer prayers at the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.
The 38-day annual yatra commenced on July 3 from the twin routes of Nunwan-Pahalgam in Anantnag and Baltal in Ganderbal.
According to officials, the Yatra is going on smoothly on both routes and there is a heavy rush of pilgrims as thousands are daily reporting at twin base camps from different parts of the country to embark on holy pilgrimage.
They said the yatris are in high spirits and they are fully satisfied with the arrangements made by Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and JK Government.
They said the yatris are also highly satisfied with the security arrangements made by the Narendra Modi Government in post Pahalgam carnage besides the cooperation and support of local people as well as langar Sewadars.
The fresh batch of pilgrims which left from here today included 130 Sadhus and Sadhvis. They left the base camp in separate convoys for Pahalgam and Baltal under tight security arrangements, they said.
While 2,815 pilgrims left for Pahalgam in a convoy of 115 vehicles, 1,573 pilgrims onboard 95 vehicles preferred the Baltal route, officials said.
Over one month long pilgrimage is scheduled to end on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and the Raksha Bandhan festivals after the holy mace of Lord Shiva led by its sole custodian Mahant Deependra Giri Ji and accompanied by Sadhus and devotees will reach cave shrine to perform the day long Puja and other religious rituals in a traditional manner.
Officials said that thousands of yatris reached here by this evening from different parts of country to leave for twin base camps early tomorrow morning.
These yatris besides, the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas and Saraswati Dham are also putting up in various lodgements in the city.
