Jammu: As there is unending rush of pilgrims to the holy cave of Shri Amarnath Ji, today on the first Monday of Sawan which is considered an auspicious occasion by the devotees, 15, 6,42 pilgrims drawn from different parts of the country performed darshan of naturally formed Ice Lingam of Lord Shiva in cave shrine situated at an altitude of 3880 metres in deep Himalayas of South Kashmir by this evening.
According to officials 15, 642 pilgrims performed darshan at cave shrine on the first Monday of Sawan. With this, the total number of pilgrims paying obeisance in holy cave in last 19 days of yatra which started on June 30 this year has touched 1,99,453.
Officials said there is huge rush of pilgrims from both the tracks coming daily for darshan of naturally formed Ice Lingam. The long queues of pilgrims were seen at holy cave waiting for darshan as well as base camps of Nunwan -Pahalgam in Anantnag district of South Kashmir and Baltal in Central Kashmir of Ganderbal district. Huge queues of pilgrims were also seen at Panchtarni, Sheshnag and Chandanwari camps enroute to holy cave in the morning when exit gates were opened and yatris asked to leave for their onwards sojourn.
As per officials 4475 pilgrims left from Nunwan base camp for onwards sojourn this morning while 4840 pilgrims were camping there during last night. Besides, 9471 pilgrims left from Sheshnag towards Panjtarni -the last halting station on way to holy cave on Chandanwari track this morning, officials added.
Officials said 5367 pilgrims left from Baltal to holy cave early this morning. Out of them 5050 left by foot while 317′ by chopper. They said 13,307 pilgrims were staying at Baltal base camp during last night. They included those pilgrims also who had returned from holy cave after darshan and had to leave to their home states this morning.
Officials said 6344 pilgrims left for holy cave this morning from Panjtarni where 10,441 pilgrims were staying for last night. They said the weather in the holy cave area and both the tracks was pleasant for the day and yatra plied smoothly.
Meanwhile, one pilgrim died near holy cave due to cardiac arrest today. He has been identified as Rajinder Nath Sharma, 67, son of Jamna Dass Sharma of Mumbai, Maharashtra. With this the total number of pilgrims who met natural death during ongoing yatra has touched 32. It excludes 15 pilgrims who died due to cloudburst and flash floods at lower cave area on July 8.
A 19th batch of 5649 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here, early this morning for twin base camps of Nunwan-Pahalgam and Baltal, Ganderbal in a cavalcade of 198 vehicles under tight security arrangements.
Among them 3091 pilgrims preferred the traditional 48 kilometre Pahalgam Chandanwari track, while 2558 pilgrims preferred shortest 14 kilometre Baltal track. These yatris have reached their respective base camps by the evening where from they will leave for holy cave early tomorrow morning.
While the yatris from Baltal will reach to cave shrine in a single day those preferring the traditional Chandanwari track will reach after spending three nights at different camps enroute to cave shrine.
Caption: Heavy rush of pilgrims waiting for long queues near cave shrine area for darshan on Monday.
