The total number of pilgrims who have had ‘darshan’ at the Amarnath holy cave shrine has crossed the 3.31 lakh mark in its first 20 days, reflecting a continuous influx of devotees from across India.
“Another batch of 2,837 yatris left Jammu in two escorted convoys comprising 118 vehicles. The first convoy, with 49 vehicles carrying 1,036 pilgrims, departed at 3:25 a.m. for the Baltal base camp. The second convoy of 69 vehicles, carrying 1,801 yatris to the Pahalgam base camp, left at 3:58 a.m.,” officials said on Wednesday.
The massive rush continues, with a significant number of pilgrims arriving directly—outside the escorted convoys – and opting for on-the-spot registration to reach the shrine.
The Yatra is being conducted amid elaborate multi-tier security arrangements. In addition to the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police, 180 extra companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed. The Army alone has positioned over 8,000 special commandos to ensure the safety of the pilgrims.
The annual pilgrimage, which began on July 3, is scheduled to conclude after 38 days on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.
(With inputs from IANS)