Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:The annual Amarnath Yatra is proceeding smoothly and peacefully as over 2.73 lakh pilgrims have had ‘darshan’ in the last 16 days with another batch of 6,365 Yatris leaving Jammu on July 19 for the Valley. Officials said since the Yatra started on July 3, so far, over 2.73 lakh Yatris had ‘darshan’ inside the holy cave shrine.
“A fresh batch of 6,365 Yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas on Canal Road Jammu for the Valley today in two escorted convoys. “The first escorted convoy of 92 vehicles left at 3.25 A.M. carrying 2,851 Yatris to Baltal base camp while the second escorted convoy of 119 vehicles left at 3.53 A.M. carrying 3,514 pilgrims to Pahalgam base camp”, officials said.
So far, 13 pilgrims have died during the Yatra due to natural causes including high altitude sickness causing cardio-vascular failure. Bhumi Pujan of ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (Lord Shiva’s Holy Mace) 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.
