Amarnath yatra starts before official go ahead

Jammu, June 25 (UNI) Pilgrims have started scaling the heights of Himalayan mountains to pay their obeisance at the famous Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir, before the official commencement of the two-month-long yatra.

''While labourers were being engaged for arrangement works for the yatra, the pilgrims are also being seen pouring in since June 22,'' official sources told UNI.

Almost all the security and accommodation arrangements had been completed to cater expected four lakh devotees to the Amarnath shrine, sources said.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen S K Sinha (Retd) will officially open the yatra after performing rituals on June 30.

According to sources, pilgrims will initially be allowed to go up to Chandanwari via Pahalgam, from where they will leave for the 14000-ft-high holy cave shrine.

The pilgrims are excited as the snow-formed Lingam of Lord Shiva is complete this year, which had remained under the controversy last year.

UNI