First batch of 2,481 pilgrims leave for Amarnath

The first batch of pilgrims left for the cave shrine in the Kashmir Valley amid extraordinary security arrangements after intelligent inputs cautioned of militant attacks.

Jammu, June 29: Amid tight security, a total of 2,481 pilgrims left Jammu to undertake the annual Amarnath Yatra that began on Thursday morning. Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra will attend the official launch of the Yatra. The pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in 66 vehicles. An official said while 1,616 pilgrims were bound for the Pahalgam route, 865 were bound for the Baltal route.

The Yatra would begin officially with the arrival of the 'Chahri Mubarak' (Lord Shiva's mace) and traditional prayers inside the cave shrine.

Satellite tracking system, drones, mobile bunker vehicles, road opening parties (ROPs) along the entire route from Jammu to Pahalgam and Baltal are some of the security measures put in place. The Centre has provided an additional 40,000 paramilitary forces to assist the state government for peaceful conduct of the Yatra.

It takes a pilgrim just one day to return back to the Baltal base camp after the 'darshan'. However, it takes four days for the one-way passage from Pahalgam to the cave shrine.

The distance from Baltal to the cave is 14 km while that from Pahalgam to the shrine is 46 km.

The 40-day long Yatra to the Himalayan cave shrine in south Kashmir's Anantnag district would end on August 7 on Shravan Purnima coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival.

IANS