On Tuesday the number of Yatris who paid obeisance to Lord Shiva at the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir crossed the four lakh mark with another batch of Yatris set to embark on the holy journey, officials said.
"As many as 12,539 pilgrims performed the Yatra on Monday and had darshan of Baba Bholenath on the 24th day of the annual Yatra," the officials stated.
They reported that the number of pilgrims who have visited the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine has now reached 4,08,518.
This year's Yatra is on track to surpass all previous records, with the top-notch security, health, travel, and accommodation arrangements made by the J&K administration.
The officials detailed that among the pilgrims on Monday were 7,760 male Yatris, 2,772 female Yatris, 175 Sadhus, and one Sadhvi. Additionally, over 1,600 security personnel and 174 children also participated in the pilgrimage.
Security arrangements have been robust, with over 40,000 security personnel deployed to ensure the safety of the pilgrims. The route is monitored by drones, and there are numerous checkpoints along the way.
To facilitate the Yatris, helicopter services have been made available, significantly reducing the travel time for many pilgrims.
Over 10,000 pilgrims have availed of this service, especially those unable to undertake the strenuous trek.
Pony ambulance services have also been instrumental in assisting ailing Yatris. More than 5,000 Yatris have utilised these services to reach the shrine safely.
The pilgrimage has seen two deaths this year. A Sevadar from Haryana and a pilgrim from Jharkhand both suffered cardiac arrests along the Baltal route in June.
Despite these incidents, the pilgrims have expressed satisfaction with the arrangements. "The security is tight, and the facilities are much improved," said a pilgrim from Maharashtra.
The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19. Last year, more than 4.5 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine.
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