Jammu, June 27: The first batch of about 3500 pilgrims for Amarnath cave shrine, located in Himalayas at a height of 13,500 feet in south Kashmir, would leave the Bhagwati Nagar-base camp here on Tuesday, officials said.   
 They said the first ‘darshan’ (obeisance) would be paid at the cave shrine on June 29.
 “Security has been beefed up on Lakhanpur-Jammu and Jammu-Srinagar highways to facilitate the smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage,” officials said.  
 They said the Minister for Tourism Nawang Rigzin Jora would flag off the first batch of pilgrims at the base camp around 5:00 am.
 The Yatra, according to the officials, would conclude on August 13, Raksha Bandhan day– the traditional date of its end. Over 2.25 lakh pilgrims have registered themselves so far for the yatra.
 Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu, Dilbagh Singh said, “Adequate number of CRPF, district police and armed police personnel have been deployed in Jammu city and on highways. The convoy of vehicles ferrying pilgrims from Jammu base camp to Srinagar will be escorted by the security personnel.”
 The annual Amarnath pilgrimage is undertaken by pilgrims from all over the country to reach the cave shrine, devoted to Lord Shiva, at an altitude of 13,500 feet. A stalagmite of ice, painstaking an icon of Lord Shiva, is the main attraction for the pilgrims.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST