Over 2,500 pilgrims leave Jammu base camp for Amarnath shrine

Jammu: More than 2,500 pilgrims left a base camp in Jammu amid rain in the early hours of Friday for the Amarnath shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.

More than 4.36 lakh pilgrims have already paid obeisance at the naturally-formed ice lingam at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine, compared to over 4.5 lakh last year.

The 29th batch of pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp at 3:20 am in a convoy of 84 vehicles escorted by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the officials said.

While 1,681 pilgrims will reach Pahalgam to undertake the pilgrimage through the traditional 48-kilometre route in Anantnag district, 885 have opted for the shorter but steeper 14-kilometre Baltal route in Ganderbal district.

The 52-day annual yatra, which commenced formally on June 29, will conclude on August 19.