Nearly 1,300 pilgrims pay obeisance at Amarnath; pilgrimage suspended due to inclement weather

Nearly 1,300 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas today, an official said.

However, the pilgrimage had to be suspended from both Pahalgam and Baltal routes due to incessant rainfall in the valley. The yatra was suspended due to heavy rainfall along the entire route to the cave shrine, an official of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) said.

He said 1,263 pilgrims had set off from the Nunwan base camp in the morning but were asked to halt at Sheshnag till the weather improved.

"At the end of the second day of the Yatra, 1,287 pilgrims paid obeisance at holy cave," he added.

The total number of pilgrims who have performed darshan of the naturally formed ice-lingam has now gone up to 2,294. Yesterday, 1007 pilgrims had paid obeisance at the cave shrine.

Earlier in the day, the yatra was suspended from Baltal route due to multiple slides en- route caused by heavy rainfall in the valley over the past two days.

A police official said the Kali Mata track was damaged due to slides at multiple places, which forced suspension of the yatra from Baltal route.

The restoration work is going on but a slight drizzle is hampering the efforts, the official said.

A BSF official, posted on yatra duty, died after complaining of chest pain last night at Betaab Valley in Pahalgam area.

The annual yatra to the 3,880 metre high cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas began yesterday and will conclude on August 26 to coincide with Raksha Bandhan.