JAMMU, Jul 28: On Friday, a fresh group of 2,100 pilgrims embarked on the Amarnath Yatra, departing from Jammu city to join the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas. The Yatra, which began on July 1, follows two routes: the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the shorter 14-km Baltal route in the Ganderbal.
The pilgrims, consisting of 1,660 men and 443 women, left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in a convoy of 95 vehicles, accompanied by Central Reserve Police Force personnel. Among them, 753 pilgrims headed for Baltal in 37 vehicles, while 1,402 pilgrims traveled to Pahalgam in 58 vehicles.
This year’s Amarnath Yatra has seen a remarkable response, with a total of 3,69,288 pilgrims participating so far, compared to last year’s 3,65,751, as per official data. Since June 29, over 1.35 lakh pilgrims have left the Bhagwati Nagar camp for the valley, commencing their spiritual journey after being flagged off by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The Yatra will continue until August 31.
