SRINAGAR: Undeterred by intermittent rains and forecast for moderate to heavy rains, a new batch of 91 pilgrims left Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps today for the holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.
Till last evening 3,52,458 yatris had paid obeisance at the holy shrine since the commencement of the 55-day-long annual pilgrimage from June 28.
The pilgrimage will conclude on August 21 on Rakshabandhan day when puja of Chhari Mubarak, holy silver mace of Hindu deity Lord Shiva, will be held inside the cave before starting return journey before dusk the same day.
A yatra official said 72 pilgrims, including ten women, left Baltal base camp despite intermittent rain and cloudy weather, adding that only 19 pilgrims left Nunwan Pahalgam for the cave shrine early this morning.
The number of yatris, who undertook the pilgrimage to the holy cave this year was about 50 per cent less as compared to last year when more than 6.50 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine.
The Uttarakhand tragedy is being considered a major factor for drop in the number of pilgrims this time.
However, some of the measures taken by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) for the security of pilgrims, also affected the number of yatris.
The SASB had made it compulsory for all pilgrims to get themselves medically examined by a registered doctor before starting their pilgrimage.
It was also decided not to allow any unregistered yatri and pilgrims below the age of 13 years or above 75 years.
It is because of these measures that the death toll of yatris this time was just 15 against last year’s 120, which had evoked massive criticism from religious and political organisations, officials said.
