Record Pilgrims Pay Obeisance at Amarnath Cave Shrine During Annual Yatra

More than 7,500 pilgrims visited the Amarnath cave shrine on Saturday, bringing the total number of devotees to over 1.59 lakh. Despite being temporarily suspended due to heavy rainfall, the yatra resumed later in the day. The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19.

More than 7,500 pilgrims paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine on Saturday, bringing the total number of devotees who have had 'darshan' of the naturally formed ice lingam to over 1.59 lakh, officials reported.

The Amarnath Yatra, which commenced on June 29, follows two routes: the 48-km traditional Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal.

Although the yatra was temporarily suspended on Saturday morning due to heavy rainfall, it resumed later in the day. Reports indicate 7,552 pilgrims completed the yatra and had darshan of Baba Bholenath on the eighth day of the annual event.

The total includes 5,019 male pilgrims, 1,406 female pilgrims, 118 sadhus, three sadhvis, 869 security personnel, three transgender persons, and 134 children. This brings the total number of pilgrims this year to 1,59,498.

Officials confirmed the deaths of two devotees—a sevadar from Haryana and a pilgrim from Jharkhand—due to cardiac arrest on the Baltal route in June. The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19, with over 4.5 lakh pilgrims having visited the shrine last year.

(With inputs from agencies.)