The number of pilgrims paying obeisance at the shrine cave of Amarnath in South Kashmir Himalayas crossed the 2 lakh mark in just 16 days this year, the highest in the last 4 years, officials said.
So far 2,05,083 pilgrims paid obeisance at the shrine cave.
Interestingly, unlike previous years, the weather remainedclear and pleasant this year so far due to which the yatra continueduninterrupted.
“On the 16th day ofthe ongoing Amarnath Yatra yesterday, 11,538 pilgrims paid obeisance at theholy cave and cumulatively since the beginning of the pilgrimage on 1st July,2,05,083 pilgrims had darshan at the holy cave,” an official spokesperson said.
Last year, the total number of pilgrims who visited theshrine was 2.84 lakh in 60 days. In2017, 2.60 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the holy cave in 40 days. In2014, the number was 3,72,909, but in 2016, with the killing of militantcommander Burhan Wani, which triggered protests, the number of pilgrims hadcome down to just 2.2 lakh. Earlier, in 2013, 3,53,969 pilgrims had visited thecave shrine and 3,52,771 in 2015.
This year the pilgrimage has registered the mark of 2 lakhin just 16 days.
The 46-day yatra commenced from the twin routes of Pahalgamin Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1.