2.74 lakh pilgrims pay obeisance at Amarnath cave shrine

Jammu, Aug 8: As many as 2.74 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the cave shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir himalayas till date, as a small batch of 237 pilgrims left Jammu today for the pilgrimage, an official said.

"On the 41st day of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, 348 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave. Till last evening, 2,74,466 pilgrims had paid their obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high holy cave, where the natural ice-shivalingam is formed," the official said.

Amid tight security, a small batch of 237 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp in an escorted convoy of 14 vehicles today, according to officials.

The 60-day annual yatra commenced from the twin routes of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on June 28. It is scheduled to conclude on August 26, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.