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| Pilgrim influx to Amarnath shrine falls steeply over previous years | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, June 28: Put it to hostile weather in Himalayas or much hostile condition in the Valley, this year’s Amarnath pilgrimage has seen a steep initial decline in the number of pilgrims visiting the cave shrine.
The pilgrimage had a late start –June 15 instead of earlier proposed date of June 7 –and it was only through one track which is not the much preferred one. The other track –traditional track via Pahalgam –was through open only June 16. Despite this late start the number of pilgrims visiting the shrine in first two weeks is not even halfway around the first two weeks of last year.
In 2008, the Amarnath pilgrimage was a uphill task, both for the pilgrims and the regulator, the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. Despite highly unpleasant conditions both in Kashmir and Jammu and huge inconvenience of the sorts on the way, nearly 4 lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas in first two week. That was the highest number ever. Earlier, in 2007, 3.11 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine in first two weeks.
Looking at the figures of previous two years, this year’s pilgrimage has huge decline in number of pilgrims. Only a little over 1.25 pilgrims have visited the cave shrine since June 15 when the Shrine Board reluctantly threw open the annual pilgrimage amidst severely hostile weather conditions.
Official sources said most pilgrims now preferred traditional Pahalgam route, which was though longer against Baltal, one could see scenic beauty and snow walls on both sides of the track near Sheshnag. They said 4,025 pilgrims left the Pahalgam base camp for onward journey to holy cave through this track which was thrown open only on
June 26.
Pilgrimage through this track could not be started along with Baltal from June 17 due to heavy accumulation of snow at several places. However, hundreds of workes were pressed into service to make the track safe for foot journey.
Sources said a first batch of 795 pilgrims left from Baltal at 0830 hrs this morning for the shrine. Later at 1200 hrs another batch of 546 yatris were allowed to undertake the pilgrimage from Baltal.
Besides Baltal route, the authorities yesterday allowed the pilgrims to take the traditional Pahalgam route to the holy cave with conditions that old people and children below the age of 12 cannot undertake the yatra from the route.
Women have also been advised not to undertake yatra from Pahalgam-cave shrine route at least for another one to two weeks due to arduous nature and condition of the route, they said.
Meanwhile, another batch of 1,627 pilgrims today left in a fleet of 58 vehicles from the base camp at Bagwati nagar here, they said.
The yatra was slated to commence from June 7 this year but it began from June 15 due to bad weather conditions prevailing on the yatra route from Baltal to cave shrine.
A 65-year-old pilgrim died of cardiac arrest on his way to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in Kashmir.
Amla Lakshmi Dass of Gujarat suffered a massive heart attack last night at Wavbal on the traditional Pahalgam-Amarnath route in Anantnag district last night, official sources said, adding he died before he could be provided any medical help.
With this, the number of persons who died since the commencement of the yatra has reached 14.
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