Amarnath Yatra ends, over 3 lakh pilgrims visit shrine

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, August 11

As many as 3,03,502 pilgrims, less than half of what the government expected, visited the holy Amarnath cave shrine as the annual pilgrimage ended on Thursday.

The 43-day pilgrimage was marred by a glacial burst on July 8, killing 15 pilgrims, and melting of Shiv Lingam nearly 20 days before the Yatra’s conclusion. Earlier, the government had expected influx of around eight lakh pilgrims.

At least 35 pilgrims and three locals died due to medical reasons and 12,123 were injured during the pilgrimage, stated the official data. Also, 25,454 pilgrims were admitted to hospitals for treatment of various ailments.

The pilgrimage, inarguably the world’s most guarded religious event, was held amidst unusually “higher threat perception” to the pilgrims following a spate of targeted civilian killings since April that left a dozen dead, mostly members of the Hindu community.

Even frequent bad weather forced authorities to suspend the pilgrimage, which commenced on June 30 after two years of Covid-19 restrictions.

The Chhari Mubarak silver mace reached the holy cave shrine of Lord Shiva in Kashmir Himalayas for final pooja on Thursday.

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