The Hindu : National : Thousands flock to Amarnath as yatra begins for the holy shrine

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Thousands flock to Amarnath as yatra begins for the holy shrine

Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR: The much awaited pilgrimage to the holy cave of Amarnath in the woods of Kashmir officially began on Wednesday with the outgoing Governor S. K. Sinha offering puja.

Over 26,000 pilgrims headed for the shrine during the day and most of them had darshan also. Two yatris died on the way.

The devotees chanted “Har Har Mahadev!” as they stepped forward on the 12-km track from Baltal. Shri Amarnath Shrine Board spokesman Madan Mantoo said that in the sanctum sanctorum the fully formed magnificent Shiva Lingam presented a unique sight quenching the spiritual thirst of devotees.

J&K Governor prays for peace

“The Shrine Board has devised a mechanism to enable darshan from the second grill raised before the Bhavan for longevity of the holy Lingam,” he said. Governor Sinha, who also heads the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, prayed for peace and tranquillity in the country and the State and hoped that J&K would continue on the path of progress and prosperity.

He urged the devotees to perform the yatra in a regulated manner.

"This is for the safety of pilgrims, as in the case of bad weather the Board may not be in a position to take full care of devotees," he added.

The base camps of Pahalgam and Sonmarg have been witnessing a huge rush of pilgrims much ahead of schedule.

The Shrine Board spokesman told The Hindu that 26,088 pilgrims headed for the cave on Wednesday. Most of them had darshan at the cave by evening.

Elaborate arrangements have been made for the pilgrims’ safety and comfort.

Two deaths due to natural causes were reported on Wednesday.

The two have been identified as Krishan Singh of Gurgaon and Anshu Shah of Mumbai.

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