A batch of 1,550 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar camp here on Monday for the twin base camps♐ in Kashmir to undertake the onward journey to the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine.
A record number of over 3.88 lakh pilgrims have so far paid ꦓobeisance at the shrine since the beginning of the 62-day-long annual pilgrima💦ge on July 1. The yatra will conclude on August 31.
Of the 1,550 pilgrims in this smallest batch to leave the Bhagwati Nagar✤ camp, 1,068 are performing the yatra through the traditional 48-km Pahalgam track ♊in the Anantnag district while 472 are heading for the 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, officials said.
The drop in pilgrim footfall was attributed to the complete me✃lting of the naturally formed ice Shiva lingam at the Amarnath cave.The 62-day annual pilgrimage ܫto the 3,888-metre-high cave shrine commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31.
