Srinagar: On the 29th day of the current Amarnath Yatra, officials reported that 6,000 pilgrims had completed the journey, with 1,974 more having set out from Jammu for the Valley on Sunday.
On the 29th day of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, officials said that over 6,000 had 'darshan' inside the holy cave. On Sunday, an escorted convoy carrying 1,974 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Valley.
“These 1,974 Yatris include 1,546 male, 363 female, four children, 45 Sadhus and 16 Sadhvis,” officials said.
There have been 36 deaths so far on this year's Yatra.
More than 3.8 lakh people have participated in this year's Yatra to the Himalayan cave shrine since it began on July 1.
Pilgrims approach the Himalayan cave shrine either from the traditional south Kashmir Pahalgam route, which involves an uphill trek of 43 km from the Pahalgam base camp or from the north Kashmir Baltal base camp, which involves 14 km uphill trek.
It takes three to four days to reach the cave shrine via the traditional Pahalgam route, but just one day via the Baltal route, after having 'darshan' within the cave shrine at an altitude of 3,888 metres above sea level.
Yatris can also take use of helicopter services on both routes.
Devotees believe the ice stalagmite structure in the cave shrine represents Lord Shiva's mystical powers.
The ice stalagmite structure wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.
Starting on July 1, this year's Amarnath Yatra will last for 62 days, concluding on Shravan Purnima, August 31—the day after the Raksha Bandhan festival.
Free community kitchens called 'Langars' have been set up along both paths of the Yatra, and in order to safeguard the pilgrims from high altitude illness, officials have banned all junk food.
The banned items include all bottled drinks, Halwai items, fried foods and tobacco-based products.—Inputs from Agencies