Pilgrims Brave Rains for Sacred Amarnath Yatra

A fresh batch of over 3,500 pilgrims embarked on the Amarnath Yatra from Jammu despite heavy rains. The sacred shrine in Kashmir, visited by more than 3 lakh devotees since July 3, saw declining pilgrim numbers recently. Online registrations surpass 4 lakh, concluding on August 9.

Braving torrential rains, a new group of more than 3,500 devotees departed from Jammu for the revered Amarnath cave shrine in the early hours of Tuesday, under stringent security measures as per official reports.

Since the commencement of the pilgrimage on July 3, over 3 lakh devout individuals have visited the 3,880-metre-high holy site of Lord Shiva, which famously features a naturally formed ice lingam. The pilgrims, escorted by law enforcement, undertook their journey in two major convoys from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp.

There has been a noticeable decline in pilgrimage numbers in recent days, with authorities closing on-the-spot registrations and shifting focus to the pre-registered 4 lakh devotees. With the pilgrimage culminating on August 9, the Yatra continues to draw significant spiritual interest, although footfall fluctuates.

(With inputs from agencies.)