Over 1,600 pilgrims leave for Amarnath despite heavy rains

Despite inclement weather, the 28th batch of 1,697 pilgrims, including 322 women and 37 children, today left here for Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.

"The pilgrims are travelling in 60 vehicles and left the base camp at Bhagwati Nagar here around at 0400 hours despite heavy rains lashing large parts of Jammu region," an official said.

The Amarnath pilgrims were moving smoothly towards their respective destinations at Baltal and Pahalgam base camps though it was raining in many places along Jammu-Srinagar highway, officials said.

The pilgrims are likely to reach Baltal and Pahalgam by this evening to undertake trekking towards the cave shrine located at 3,888 meters above sea level.

With today's batch, as many as 67,296 pilgrims have left from Jammu base camp so far for the cave shrine since the commencement of yatra on June 30.

Over 3.50 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at naturally formed ice lingum of Lord Shiva in Amarnath cave.