Over 19,000 devotees have ‘darshan’ on 12th day of Amarnath Yatra, 4,885 pilgrims left for Kashmir

JAMMU: Despite rain in the holy cave shrine area, over 19,000 devotees had ‘darshan’ on the 12th day of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra while another batch of 4,885 pilgrims left for Kashmir from here on Thursday.

Braving rain and chanting slogans of ‘Bum Bum Bhole’, 19,631 Yatris had ‘darshan’ on Wednesday inside the holy cave shrine situated 3,888 metres above the sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas.

Wednesday’s group of devotees had pilgrims in both camps — the South Kashmir Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp and the North Kashmir Baltal base camp.

Locals are lending a vital helping hand to the Yatris by providing ponies, porters, guides and even some carrying the elderly Yatris on their backs over the treacherous mountain track that becomes highly slippery during rain.

Authorities have deployed security personnel on both the 48 km-long Pahalgam and the 14 km-long Baltal-Cave shrine axis.

Around 150 ‘langars’ (community kitchens) run by over 7,000 volunteers work round the clock to serve fresh, healthy food to the Yatris.

Community kitchens have also been set up at the transit camps of Manigam in North Kashmir Ganderbal district and Mir Bazaar in South Kashmir Anantnag district.

Officials of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) headed by J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha manage the affairs of the annual Yatra.

In the 12 days since it started, over 2.50 lakh devotees have performed the Yatra.

Out of the 4,885 pilgrims that left for Kashmir on Thursday, a total of 1,894 pilgrims in 86 vehicles left at 3.05 a.m. while the second escorted convoy carrying 2,991 Yatris in 105 vehicles left at 3.52 a.m.

The first convoy is going to the Baltal base camp while the second convoy is going to the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp.

Pilgrims use the nearly 300 km long Jammu-Srinagar national highway to reach the Valley.

Given the unobstructed passage provided by massive security arrangements, both pilgrim convoys reach the Valley by early afternoon each day.

No pilgrim movement is allowed from the transit camps towards the two base camps after 5 p.m. each day for the safety of the Yatris.

Since it started on June 29, Amarnath Yatra 2024 has been proceeding safely and peacefully.

The 52-day long Yatra will end on August 29 coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals. (IANS)