The Amarnath Yatra continues with a batch of 454 pilgrims

On Tuesday the Amarnath yatra resumed, from Jammu after two days with a fresh batch of 454 pilgrims, including 63 women, leaving the Bhagwati Nagar base camp for the cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.

A police official said the 36th batch of 454 pilgrims, with 391 men and 63 women, left the base camp in a convoy of 11 vehicles under tight security. While 230 pilgrims, including 30 women, have opted to undertake the yatra from the shortest 12-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, 194 others, including 33 women, are performing the yatra from the traditional 36-km Pahalgam track, the official said, adding that the pilgrims heading for Pahalgam also included 33 sadhus.

The 60-day annual yatra began at the twin tracks on June 28. It is scheduled to conclude on August 26, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.

Till Monday evening, 2,74,118 pilgrims had paid their obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high holy cave, where the natural ice-shivling is formed.