Amid tight security, the fourth batch of 4,694 pilgrimsincluding 791 women Wednesday left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here to payobeisance at the 3,880 metre high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir,officials said.
The pilgrims, including 24 children and 70 sadhus, willreach the twin base camps of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal inGanderbal district later in the day.
Over 20 thousand pilgrims have so far offered prayers at theshrine, housing the naturally formed ice-shivalingam, since the commencement ofthe 46-day yatra on July 1 from the twin routes– the traditional 36-kmPahalgam track in Anantnag and the shorter 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal.
Of the latest batch, the officials said, 2,642 pilgrimsincluding 412 women, nine children and 47 Sadhus are heading for Pahalgam basecamp while 2,052 pilgrims including 379 women, 15 children and 23 Sadhus havepreferred the Baltal route.
The yatra is scheduled to end on August 15 coinciding theRaksha Bandhan festival.