Srinagar, July 8 (IANS) Over 1.13 lakh devotees had ‘darshan’ inside the cave shrine during the last five days as another batch of 9,837 yatris left Jammu for Kashmir on Wednesday to perform the ongoing Amarnath Yatra.

Reports said over 1.13 lakh Yatris performed the ongoing SANJY-2026 during the last five days since it started on July 3.

Official sources said that the 7th batch of 9,837 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu early this morning in two escorted convoys for the two base camps of Baltal and Nunwan.

“Baltal convoy, carrying 4,480 pilgrims in 173 vehicles, left at 4.20 a.m. while the Pahalgam convoy carrying 5,357 pilgrims left in 188 vehicles at 4:54 a.m. A total of 361 vehicles, including 200 buses, 58 medium motor vehicles (MMVs), and 103 light motor vehicles (LMVs), were deployed for the day’s pilgrimage. These Yatris include 6,684 men, 2,730 women, 21 children, 320 sadhus, 80 sadhvis, and two transgender devotees,” officials said.

Those pilgrims who had darshan on Tuesday had started returning to the Baltal base camp that same evening. Yatris using the Pahalgam route to perform the Yatra also mostly return through the Baltal route as it takes just a few hours to reach Baltal from the cave shrine.

Authorities have decided not to allow unregistered pilgrims to gather at the two base camps, and for this reason, strict measures have been taken to ensure that such yatris are stopped at multiple points along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway to check their status.

This year’s Amarnath Yatra will conclude on August 28, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals.

Yatris take either of the two routes to reach the cave shrine situated at 3880 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas.

They either use the traditional and longer Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route. The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon. Devotees believe the ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

–IANS

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