1,477 pilgrims leave Jammu base camp to join Amarnath Yatra

Jammu: Amid chants of "Bum Bum Bholey", more than 1,400 pilgrims left Jammu in the early hours of Tuesday for the twin base camps in Kashmir to join the Amarnath Yatra, officials said.

The pilgrims were escorted by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police personnel.

The 33rd batch of 1,477 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here at 3.25 am in a convoy of 52 vehicles, the officials said.

While 1,100 pilgrims took the 48-km traditional Pahalgam route in Anantnag district, 377 took the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, they said.

So far, over 4.65 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the naturally-formed ice lingam at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine.

The yatra commenced on June 29 and will conclude on August 19.