Amid tight security, over 7,700 devotees departed from Jammu on Monday in the twelfth batch for the twin base camps of the annual Amarnath Yatra in the Kashmir Valley.
So far, more than 252,000 pilgrims have paid their respects at the ice Lingam of Lord Shiva, located at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine.
Officials stated that a total of 7,754 pilgrims left in 303 vehicles, which included 5,383 men, 2,071 women, 222 sadhus, 58 sadhvis, 16 children, and 4 transgender individuals.
The convoy was divided into two separate groups. The Baltal axis convoy, consisting of 133 vehicles and carrying 2,896 pilgrims, departed at 3.30 am, while the Pahalgam axis convoy, made up of 4,858 pilgrims in 170 vehicles, left at 4.05 am.With Friday’s departure, a total of 87,701 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for Kashmir since the yatra commenced on July 2.
The Bhagwati Nagar base camp echoed with chants of “Bam Bam Bhole”, “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Barfani Baba Ki” as devotees began their pilgrimage.
Many pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made for the smooth conduct of the yatra.
The 57-day annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine is scheduled to conclude on August 28.