The largest batch of pilgrims so far this year, comprising 8,815 devotees, including 31 foreign nationals, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on Tuesday for the annual Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir amid tight security.
Officials said the sixth batch included 5,831 men, 2,193 women, 31 children, 598 sadhus, 131 sadhvis and 31 foreign nationals. Of the total, 3,989 pilgrims travelling in 181 vehicles left for the Baltal base camp in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, while 4,826 pilgrims in 182 vehicles proceeded via the traditional Pahalgam route in south Kashmir's Anantnag district. The convoy comprised 363 vehicles.
Over 93,000 devotees visit shrine
More than 93,000 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Himalayas during the first four days of the pilgrimage. The figure is expected to cross the one lakh mark later on Tuesday.
With Tuesday's departure, 34,829 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for Kashmir since the yatra began on July 2. Tuesday's convoy was the largest since the pilgrimage commenced, surpassing the previous highest of 6,721 pilgrims on Sunday. A total of 5,794 pilgrims departed on Monday, while 4,812 left on July 4.
Devotees praise arrangements
The Bhagwati Nagar base camp echoed with chants of "Bam Bam Bhole", "Har Har Mahadev" and "Jai Barfani Baba Ki" as devotees began their journey. Many pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made for the smooth conduct of the yatra.
The 57-day pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on Aug 28, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan.
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Administration urges wait for registration
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has appealed to unregistered devotees planning to undertake the pilgrimage to defer their journey for a few days, as all registration slots have been booked until July 9 due to an unprecedented rush.
Officials said only registered pilgrims will be allowed to proceed towards Kashmir, while unregistered devotees will be stopped at designated checkpoints until fresh registration quotas become available.
