Yatra resumes: 5964 pilgrims leaves for cave

Yatra resumes: 5964 pilgrims leave for cave

JAMMU: After a day-long suspension, the Amarnath Yatra resumed as a fresh batch of 5,964 pilgrims were allowed to move on Tuesday to pay obeisance at the naturally formed ice lingam in the cave shrine of Amarnath.
Amid rains which lashed wide parts of Jammu, the ninth batch of 5,964 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in a fleet of 254 vehicles under tight security cover early Tuesday.
“Over 1900 pilgrims moved on the Pehalgam route while around 4,000 took the Baltal route,” an official said.
The Yatra had been suspended for a day following shutdown call on the third death anniversary of militant commander Burhan Wani. “Amarnath-bound convoy, which usually leaves the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here for Kashmir in the early hours of the day, was not allowed to head for the cave shrine on Monday to avoid any untoward incident,” an official sad.
The 46-day yatra, which started from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1, crossed the one lakh-mark on Monday.
“Till date 1, 11, 655 yatris had the darshan of the 'shivling' at the holy cave," a spokesperson of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board said.
It is the highest number of pilgrims to have paid obeisance in first 8 days of any yatra.
Last year, the figure of 1 lakh was crossed in 12 days, while in 2017 the figure was crossed on eighth day.
However, in years 2015 and 2016, the 1-lakh barrier was crossed in 7 days, whereas it took 9 days in 2014 and 8 days in 2013.
As many as 2.85 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the cave shrine last year, while the numbers were 3.52 lakh in 2015, 3.20 lakh in 2016, 2.60 lakh in 2017, 2.20 lakh in 2016, 3.52 lakh in 2015, 3.72 lakh in 2014, and 3.53 lakh in 2013.

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