SRINAGAR,INDIA, August 10, 2015 (Daily Excelsior): Amid chanting of hymns and religious slogans, fresh batches of pilgrims today left Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps for Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, where about 339,000 pilgrims had paid obeisance since the 59-day-long yatra commenced on July 2. The annual yatra will conclude on August 29 when the Silver Mace of Lord Shiva will be taken inside the holy shrine on Shravan Purnima and Rakshabandan for final pujan.
During the first eight days of Shravan month 23,122 pilgrims had offered pujan at the cave shrine. Due to closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, pilgrims could not reach base camps yesterday. However, the pilgrims, including women, sadhus and children, who had already arrived here left Baltal base camp in the central Kashmir district of Ganderbal for the holy cave shrine early this morning. The official said the yatris were expected to cover the 10-mile-long distance on foot before paying obeisance at the cave shrine today.