- विज्ञापन -
The second batch of pilgrims left for the Valley early Saturday morning in escorted convoys to perform the Amarnath Yatra which begins on Saturday, officials said.
Officials added that the second batch of 1,881 Yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Valley in two escorted convoys of 200 vehicles on Saturday morning.
“Of these, 1,069 Yatris left for Baltal base camp at 4 a.m. in 104 vehicles and 812 left in 96 vehicles for Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp at 4:30 a.m. “Both convoys are escorted by the security forces,” officials said.
The 52-day long Amarnath Yatra begins on June 29 and will end on August 19 coinciding with the festivals of Raksha Bandhan and Shravan Purnima. Yatris take either the 48-km long traditional Pahalgam-Cave Shrine route or the shorter 14-km long Baltal-Cave shrine route to perform the Yatra.
Those using the Pahalgam route take four days to reach the cave shrine while those taking the Baltal route reach back the same day after having ‘darshan’ inside the cave shrine.
The cave shrine situated 3,888 metres above the sea-level houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.
