Another batch of 2,185 pilgrims leave for Amarnath
A fresh batch of 2,185 pilgrims today left for the holy Amarnath cave situated in South Kashmir of Himalayas amid tight security arrangements. Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra also offered prayers at the holy cave amid holy chants.
A fresh batch of 2,185 pilgrims left for the holy Amarnath cave situated in South Kashmir of Himalayas on Monday amid tight security arrangements.
The batch left from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu.
"The second batch of pilgrims comprising 985 men, 578 women, 322 children and 300 sadhus this morning left for the Amarnath in a convoy of 66 vehicles, including 32 SRTC buses, 12 private and 22 LMVs," an official spokesman here said.
The first batch of pilgrims was flagged off on Sunday from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp.
A PTI report said Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra also offered prayers at the holy cave amid holy chants. "The pooja was held inside the cave shrine on Monday morning, marking the beginning of this year's yatra to the holy cave of Amarnathji," chief executive officer of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) Naveen K Chaudhury told PTI.
The pilgrims began their journey from both the Baltal and Nunwan base camps.
Earlier, inclement weather had delayed the scheduled start of the pilgrimage from the camps. An official of the yatra control room here said that the pilgrims were not allowed in the wee hours as some parts of the track on both Baltal and Pahalgam routes had been rendered slippery due to
overnight rains.
The authorities have made adequate arrangements for the registered pilgrims but a significantly higher number of intending pilgrims have arrived in Pahalgam and Baltal, the official said.
He said, however, only registered pilgrims would be allowed to proceed towards the holy cave.
The Governor, who is also the chairman of SASB, upon his return from the shrine visited the Nunwan base camp in Jammu, interacted with the pilgrims. He also took stock of the arrangements made for them.