Srinagar, July 23 The number of devotees performing the Amarnath Yatra has crossed 3.31 lakh in 20 days as the rush of pilgrims continued unabated on Wednesday.
Officials stated that over the last 20 days, since it began on July 3, more than 3.31 lakh yatris have had ‘darshan’ inside the holy cave shrine.
“Another batch of 2,837 yatris left Jammu city in two escorted convoys of 118 vehicles. First convoy of 49 vehicles carrying 1,036 pilgrims left at 3.25 a.m. for Baltal base camp. Second escorted convoy of 69 vehicles carrying 1,801 yatris to Pahalgam base camp left at 3.58 a.m.,” officials said.
The huge rush of yatris continues unabated as more devotees arrive directly as compared to those coming in escorted convoys. Yatris arriving directly do on-the-spot registration to reach the cave shrine.
Bhumi Pujan of ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (Lord Shiva’s Holy) was performed at Pahalgam on July 10.
The Chhari Mubarak was taken to Pahalgam by a group of seers led by the sole custodian of the Chhari Mubarak, Mahant Swami Deependra Giri, from its seat at the Dashnami Akhara Building in Srinagar to Pahalgam.
In Pahalgam, the Chhari Mubarak was taken to the Gauri Shankar temple, where the Bhumi Pujan was held. The Chhari Mubarak was then taken back to its seat at the Dashnami Akhara building. It will start its final journey towards the cave shrine from Dashnami Akhara temple in Srinagar on August 4 and will reach the holy cave shrine on August 9, marking the official conclusion of the Yatra.
The yatra is taking place under extensive multi-tier security arrangements, as it comes after the cowardly attack of April 22 in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 civilians after segregating them on religious bases in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam.
An additional 180 companies of CAPFs are deployed to augment the existing strength of the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB and the local police. The Army has deployed over 8,000 special commandos to secure the passage of the pilgrims this year.
Yatra started on July 3 and will end after 38 days on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.
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 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 get to the cave shrine. And, 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 having darshan.
No helicopter services are available to Yatris this year due to security reasons.
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.
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