Around 6K perform ongoing Amarnath Yatra on 29th day

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that devotees believe symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva. 

Srinagar: Around 6,000 performed the ongoing Amarnath Yatra on the 29th day as another batch of 1,974 Yatris left Jammu for the Valley on Sunday, officials said.

Officials added that around 6,000 had ‘darshan’ inside the holy cave on the 29th day of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra on Saturday, as another batch of 1,974 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in an escorted convoy for the Valley on Sunday.

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“These 1,974 Yatris include 1,546 male, 363 female, four children, 45 Sadhus and 16 Sadhvis,” officials said.

Thirty-six pilgrims have died during this year’s Yatra.

Since it started on July 1, more than 3.8 lakh have so far performed this year’s Yatra to the Himalayan cave shrine.

Pilgrims approach the Himalayan cave shrine either from the traditional south Kashmir Pahalgam route, which involves an uphill trek of 43 km from the Pahalgam base camp or from the north Kashmir Baltal base camp, which involves 14 km uphill trek.

Those using the traditional Pahalgam route take three to four days to reach the cave shrine while those using the Baltal route return to the base camp the same day after having ‘darshan’ inside the cave shrine situated 3,888 metre above the sea level.

Helicopter services are also available for Yatris on both routes.

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that devotees believe symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

The ice stalagmite structure wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

This year’s 62-day long Amarnath Yatra started on July 1 and will end on August 31 on Shravan Purnima coinciding with Raksha Bandhan festival.

To protect the pilgrims from high altitude sickness, authorities have banned all junk food at the free community kitchens called the ‘Langars’ which have been set up along both the routes of the Yatra.

The banned items include all bottled drinks, Halwai items, fried foods and tobacco-based products.