Amarnath Yatra resumes on Pahalgam route after 3 days as weather improves

The Amarnath Yatra resumed on Sunday afternoon from Panjtarni and Sheshnag base camps after remaining suspended for three days due to inclement weather in Jammu and Kashmir, authorities said.

However, the yatra on the other route, Baltal, is yet to resume, the authorities added.

Read here: 83 Karnataka pilgrims stranded on Amarnath yatra route safe: Minister

As the weather showed significant improvement, a batch of 6,491 pilgrims performed darshan at Amarnath cave, news agency ANI reported. Among the pilgrims who paid obeisance at the holy shrine included 4700 men, 1,456 women, 213 children, 116 Sadhus and 6 Sadvis.

"Those devotees who had already performed 'darshan' have been allowed to return to Baltal base camp," a senior official at the Panjtarni base camp told PTI over phone.

Read here: Roadblocks, red alert as rain lashes three north-western Himalayan states

The Amarnath yatra was temporarily suspended due to incessant rains and landslides, leaving thousands of pilgrims stranded in Jammu and at various places en route to the holy shrine. Following the suspension of the yatra, around 6,000 pilgrims were stranded at Ramban, officials said.

Meanwhile, the Army has sheltered more than 700 pilgrims at its camp in Qazigund in Anantnag after they were stranded due to heavy rainfall in the valley, PTI reported.

According to the official, pilgrims are being assisted during their entire journey by state agencies and civil departments by making all the essentials and facilities available to devotees.

Read here: Amarnath Yatra temporarily suspended due to bad weather

While most parts of Jammu and Kashmir experienced incessant rains since Thursday night, some areas near the Amarnath shrine recorded snowfall.

The 62-day-long yatra to the Amarnath holy shrine commenced on July 1 and will culminate on August 31. Located 141 km from the capital Srinagar at an altitude of 12,756 feet above sea level, the holy cave of Amarnath lies in the Ladar Valley, which is covered by glaciers, and snow-capped mountains for most of the year.

(with inputs from agencies)