2.37 lakh people perform Amarnath Yatra in 23 days

Srinagar: Over 2.37 lakh people have performed the Amarnath Yatra since the past 23 days as another batch of 7,053 pilgrims left Jammu for the valley on Saturday.

Officials from the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) said since the Yatra began on June 30, a total of 2,37,480 people have performed it.

On Saturday morning, the new batch of pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu in two escorted convoys.

Of these, 4,549 are going to Pahalgam and 2,504 are headed to Baltal.

Yatris using the Baltal route have to trek 14 km to reach the cave shrine. They return to the base camp the same day after the darshan.

Those using the traditional Pahalgam route have to trek 48 km for four days to reach the shrine situated 3,888 metres above the sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas.

Helicopter services are also available on both routes.

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

Devotees believe that the ice stalagmite structure symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

The annual pilgrimage will concluded on August 11 or Shravan Purnima coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival.