Amarnath Yatra: Third batch of pilgrims leave for Kashmir

A fresh batch of 4,903 pilgrims left the base camp here on Sunday to join the annual pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.

With this, a total of 12,807 pilgrims have so far undertaken the pilgrimage since June 30 when Lt Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch.

Over 8,000 pilgrims offered prayers at the shrine on the first day of the 62-day yatra which commenced from both the twin tracks – the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steep 14-km-long Baltal route in Ganderbal district – on Saturday.

The officials said 2,557 devotees, including 379 women and 226 sadhus, left in 104 vehicles for Pahalgam, while 2,346 pilgrims left in a convoy of 131 vehicles for the Baltal base camp early today. More than 3.5 lakh people have registered themselves online for the pilgrimage so far.