Jammu: Another batch of 5,273 pilgrims left Jammu on Wednesday to perform the ongoing Amarnath Yatra. Since the Yatra started this year on July 1, over 1.2 lakh pilgrims had Darshan inside the holy Cave shrine situated 3,888 metres above the sea-level in Kashmir Himalayas.
The Cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva according to the devotees. The structure waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon.
Police said here today: "Another batch of 5,273 Yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas today morning in two escorted convoys for the Valley."Of these, 1,777 are going to Baltal base camp while 3,496 are going to Pahalgam base camp".
One Amarnath pilgrim was injured on Tuesday in Digdol stretch of Jammu-Srinagar highway when a vehicle carrying Yatris was hit by a shooting stone.
Due to shooting stones and landslides triggered by heavy rain in Ramban-Ramsoo area of the highway, movement of convoys carrying Yatris to the Valley remained suspended for nearly three hours on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Swami Dipendra Giri, custodian of 'Chhari Mubarak' (Lord Shiva's mace) has announced that the Chhari Mubarak will be carried to the holy cave in a procession of Sadhus on August 5.
Permanent abode of the 'Chhari Mubarak' is the Amareshwar Temple, Dashnami Akhara in Srinagar city.
Giri said: "After performing Chhari-Pujan at Dashnami Akhara on the occasion of 'Nag-Panchami' on August 5, the holy mace will be carried to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine for 'Darshan' on Shravan Purnima on August 15.
"Before reaching the Cave Shrine, the holy mace will have night halts at Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni".
This year's 45-day-long Amarnath Yatra will end on August 15 coinciding with the Shravan Purnima festival.
