New Delhi: On the 32nd day of the Amarnath Yatra, over 4,000 pilgrims performed the pilgrimage, bringing the total number of participants to over 4 lakh. On Wednesday, a batch of 984 pilgrims, consisting of 782 men, 197 women, and five Sadhus, left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Valley in an escorted convoy.
Since the Yatra commenced on July 1, a total of 36 pilgrims have unfortunately lost their lives.
The pilgrims can approach the Himalayan cave shrine through two routes: the traditional south Kashmir Pahalgam route, involving an uphill trek of 43 kilometers, and the north Kashmir Baltal base camp route, with a 14-kilometer uphill trek. Those using the Pahalgam route take 3-4 days to reach the cave shrine, while those using the Baltal route return to the base camp on the same day after having darshan (worship) inside the cave shrine, situated at 3888 meters above sea level. Helicopter services are also available for the pilgrims on both routes.
The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure, which devotees believe symbolizes the mythical powers of Lord Shiva. This ice stalagmite structure changes in size with the phases of the moon.
The Amarnath Yatra, which started on July 1, will continue for 62 days until August 31, coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival on Shravan Purnima.
To protect the pilgrims from high-altitude sickness, authorities have imposed a ban on junk food at the free community kitchens known as ‘langars’ established along both Yatra routes. The banned items include all bottled drinks, halwai items, fried foods, and tobacco-based products.