Over 22,000 pilgrims visit Amarnath cave shrine

Srinagar, Jul 2 (PTI) More than 22,000 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas on Tuesday, officials here said.

With this, the total number of pilgrims who have visited the shrine in the first four days of the annual Amarnath Yatra has crossed 74,000.

“As many as 22,715 pilgrims had darshan of the ice lingam in the Amarnath cave on Tuesday,” the officials said.

These included 16,973 male pilgrims, 3,775 female pilgrims, 315 sadhus and six sadhvis. More than 1,227 security personnel and 419 children also performed the pilgrimage, they said.

The total number of pilgrims who have visited the cave shrine in the first four days now stands at 74,696, according to the officials.

The Amarnath Yatra began on Saturday from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal.

The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19.

More than 4.5 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine last year.