New Delhi: On the 23rd day of the Amarnath Yatra, a remarkable number of 9,000 pilgrims participated in the pilgrimage. Out of the 3,898 yatris who departed from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in a convoy for the valley, there were 2,898 males, 898 females, 12 children, 79 Sadhus, and 11 Sadhvis, as confirmed by officials.
The Yatra has seen an impressive turnout this year, with a record-breaking 3.26 lakh pilgrims having performed the pilgrimage since it began on July 1. However, there have been 36 fatalities so far, with 35 attributed to natural causes, and one person killed in a stone hit on the Pahalgam-Cave shrine axis.
Pilgrims can approach the Himalayan cave shrine through two routes: the traditional south Kashmir Pahalgam route, which involves an uphill trek of 43 km, and the north Kashmir Baltal base camp route, requiring a 13 km uphill trek. Those taking the Pahalgam route usually take 3-4 days to reach the cave shrine, while those on the Baltal route return to the base camp on the same day after darshan.
To facilitate the Yatra, helicopter services are available on both routes. The cave shrine, situated at an altitude of 3,888 meters, houses an ice stalagmite structure revered by devotees as a symbol of the mythical powers of Lord Shiva, which wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.
The Amarnath Yatra, which lasts for 62 days, will conclude on August 31, coinciding with the Shravan Purnima festival. To protect pilgrims from high altitude sickness, authorities have implemented a ban on all junk food at the free community kitchens established along the two routes. The banned items include bottled drinks, halwai items, fried food, and tobacco-based products.
