Around 24,000 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave of Shri Amarnath Ji on Tuesday, day 11 of the 52-day-long Amarnath pilgrimage, officials said.
The pilgrimage, which began on June 29, saw a fresh batch of 5,433 pilgrims leaving Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas early on Wednesday morning under tight security for the twin base camps at Baltal-Sonamarg in Ganderbal and Nunwan-Pahalgam in Anantnag.
Officials reported that a total of 2, 31,016 pilgrims visited the holy cave in the past 11 days.
The cave, situated at a height of 3,888 meters in the Himalayas, saw pilgrims arriving through the Baltal and Chandanwari tracks and by helicopter.
After performing the darshan of the naturally formed Ice Shivlingam, the pilgrims returned to Panchtarni and the Baltal base camp.
The pilgrimage area is bustling with activity as thousands of pilgrims stop over at the base camps and other resting spots.
Pilgrims are reportedly in high spirits and have praised the facilities provided by the administration, such as providers of langar (meals), other services and security.
Heather Hathway, travelling from the US with her son Hudson was captured on videos surfacing on social media. She said their visit was a "dream come true."
She added, "We are so grateful to be here. I have dreamed of coming to Amarnath for many years. Everyone has been so amazing, sweet, and kind."
It’s a well organised trip with tight security measures in place.
Among the 5,433 pilgrims who left Bhagwati Nagar, 4,203 were male, 1,117 were female, with 18 children, 83 sadhus, and 12 sadhvis.
Some 1,971 pilgrims opted for the shorter Baltal track, while 3,462 chose the longer, traditional Nunwan-Pahalgam route.
Pilgrims who reached the base camps on Tuesday began their journey to the holy cave early on Wednesday.
The Amarnath Yatra, which attracts thousands of Hindu devotees annually, will conclude on August 19, 2024.
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