Srinagar, July 6 Nearly 48,000 devotees performed the ongoing Amarnath Yatra during the last three days amid tight security arrangements, with another batch of 7,208 pilgrims leaving Jammu for Kashmir on Sunday.
The officials said over 21,000 Yatris had ‘darshan’ inside the holy cave shrine on Saturday, adding that another batch of 7,208 Yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Valley in two escorted convoys on Sunday.
“The first escorted convoy is carrying pilgrims to North Kashmir Baltal base camp while the second escorted convoy is carrying Yatris to South Kashmir Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp”, officials said.
Officials of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), which manages the affairs of the annual pilgrimage, said that in addition to the number of Yatris coming to the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu, many Yatris are reporting directly at Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camps for on-spot registration to join the Yatra.
Thirty-six Yatris sustained minor injuries on Saturday when five vehicles in the Valley-bound Yatri convoy collided with each other at Chandrakote in Ramban district of Jammu division.
Authorities have left no stone unturned in providing a multi-tier cover to this year’s Amarnath Yatra, as this takes place after the cowardly attack of April 22, in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 civilians after segregating them based on faith in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam.
An additional 180 companies of CAPFs have been brought in to augment the existing strength of the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB and the local police.
All the transit camps en route to the two base camps and the entire route from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu to the cave shrine are secured by the security forces.
Locals have extended complete cooperation to this year’s Amarnath Yatra as they have always done in the past.
To send out a powerful signal that Kashmiris were deeply shocked by the Pahalgam terror attack, locals were the first to welcome the first batch of Yatris with garlands and placards as the pilgrims crossed the Navyug Tunnel to enter the Valley at Qazigund.
This year, the Yatra started on July 3 and will end after 38 days on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals.
Yatris approach the holy cave shrine situated 3888 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas either from the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route.
Those using the Pahalgam route have to pass through Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni to reach the cave shrine, covering a distance of 46 km on foot. This trek takes a pilgrim four days to reach the cave shrine. Those using the shorter Baltal route have to trek 14 km to reach the cave shrine and return to the base camp the same day after performing the Yatra.
Due to security reasons, no helicopter services are available to the Yatris this year.
The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon. Devotees believe that the ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.
The Amarnath Yatra is one of the holiest religious pilgrimages for devotees, as legend says that Lord Shiva narrated the secrets of eternal life and immortality to Mata Parvati inside this cave. Two pigeons accidentally happened to be inside the cave when the eternal secrets were being narrated by Lord Shiva.
Traditionally, even to this day, a pair of mountain pigeons flies out of the cave shrine when the annual Yatra begins.
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