JAMMU, INDIA, July 20, 2002: A second batch of 3,771 pilgrims on Saturday left for the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas from here amid heavy security, official sources said. The batch, comprising 3,022 men, 322 women, 14 children and 413 sadhus, left in 198 vehicles from MAM stadium, which is the base camp of pilgrims arriving here from different parts of the country, they said. The total number of pilgrims who left for the shrine situated at 3,952 meters in Kashmir Himalayas has risen to 6,452 for the month-long yatra which commenced on Friday. The first batch of the pilgrims will pay their obeisance at the shrine on July 22, after walking the last 35 kilometers to the cave over rough terrain. Each year, a natural ice Siva Lingam forms in the cave.
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