2.51 lakh pilgrims perform Amarnath darsham in first 15 days of Yatra: DIPR

Ganderbal (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 17 : As many as 2.51 lakh pilgrims have performed darshan at the holy Amarnath cave shrine in the first fifteen days since the commencement of the annual pilgrimage on July 3, the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) informed on Thursday.
According to officials, 5,110 devotees had completed the darshan by 2 pm on Thursday alone.
Pilgrims have been visiting the Shrine from all parts of the country and abroad since the beginning of the Yatra and have expressed great enthusiasm in undertaking this journey of faith, apart from appreciating the services and efficient management in the conduct of the Yatra.
However, due to continuous rainfall over the last two days, the pilgrimage was temporarily suspended from both Pahalgam and Baltal base camps on Thursday as a precautionary measure.
Officials cited the need for urgent repair and maintenance work on the pilgrimage routes affected by the inclement weather.
"Due to the continuous rains over the last couple of days, urgent repair and maintenance works are required to be carried out on the tracks. Therefore, it has been decided that no movement shall be allowed towards the Holy Cave from the two base camps today," said Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri.
The Divisional Commissioner also stated that pilgrims are allowed to descend from the Baltal base camp, provided adequate security teams are deployed.
"However, yatris who stayed at Panchtarni camp during the preceding night are being allowed to proceed down to Baltal under adequate deployment of BRO and Mountain Rescue Teams," he said.
The pilgrimage is expected to resume tomorrow, depending on the weather conditions," he added.
On Wednesday, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed optimism about a record turnout for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, noting the concerns about turnout following the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which had shaken the nation.
"The Amarnath Yatra will continue till 9th August, and I hope that this number will increase. There was a time when, after the Pahalgam attack, it seemed that hardly anyone would come for the Amarnath Yatra. But we have touched 2.5 lakh, and if it stays like this, then we should easily cross 3 lakhs and 3.5 lakh," he said.
Amarnath Yatra is an annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave, where devotees offer prayers to Lord Shiva.
The 38-day annual Amarnath pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine in south Kashmir began on July 3 and will conclude on August 9.