Srinagar, July 20 (IANS) Over three lakh pilgrims are likely to perform the ongoing Amarnath Yatra in 18 days as another batch of 4,388 pilgrims left Jammu for Kashmir on Sunday. The yatra is being conducted amid unprecedented security.

Over 2.75 lakh pilgrims have so far paid their obeisance at the shrine.

While 4,388 pilgrims arrive in Kashmir from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas, more than four times that number of pilgrims reach here every day directly and get registered on the spot, either at the transit camps or the two base camps. The number on Sunday is likely to cross three lakh.

The entire Yatra route from Jammu to the two base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam and the two treks from Baltal and Pahalgam to the cave shrine are guarded 24/7 by the army, J&K Police, BSF, CRPF, SSB, CISF and others, as the military deployed over 8,000 special forces to augment the additional 180 companies of CAPFs already deployed on Yatra duties

After every five metres, fully armed troopers from various CAPF formations are dotting the Yatra route, and the extraordinary vigil has resulted in strengthening the confidence of the pilgrims to arrive in larger numbers this year for the pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine.

Authorities have made extensive multi-tier security arrangements for this year’s Amarnath Yatra, as this takes place after the cowardly attack of April 22 in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 civilians after segregating them based on faith in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam.

An official said, “Another batch of 4,388 yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in two escorted convoys for the Valley today. First escorted convoy of 64 vehicles carrying 1,573 yatris left at 3.30 a.m. for Baltal base camp while the second escorted convoy of 115 vehicles carrying 2,815 yatris left at 4 a.m. for Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp,” officials said.

Bhumi Pujan of ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (Lord Shiva’s Holy Mace) was performed at Pahalgam on July 10. The Chhari Mubarak was taken to Pahalgam by a group of seers led by the sole custodian of the Chhari Mubarak, Mahant Swami Deependra Giri, from its seat at the Dashnami Akhara Building in Srinagar to Pahalgam.

In Pahalgam, the Chhari Mubarak was taken to the Gauri Shankar temple, where the Bhumi Pujan was held. The Chhari Mubarak was then taken back to its seat at the Dashnami Akhara building.

It will start its final journey towards the cave shrine from Dashnami Akhara temple in Srinagar on August 4 and will reach the holy cave shrine on August 9, marking the official conclusion of the Yatra.

This year, the Yatra started on July 3 and will end after 38 days on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

Yatris approach the holy cave shrine situated 3888 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas either from the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route.

Those using the Pahalgam route pass through Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni to reach the cave shrine, covering a distance of 46 km on foot. This trek takes a pilgrim four days to get to the cave shrine. And, those using the shorter Baltal route have to trek 14 km to reach the cave shrine and return to the base camp the same day after having darshan.

No helicopter services are available to Yatris this year due to security reasons.

–IANS

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