Despite heavy rains, over 100,000 pilgrims have visited the holy cave at Amarnath

Despite heavy rains and bad weather across Jammu and Kashmir, over one hundred thousand yatris (pilgrims) have visited the holy Amarnath cave in the first ten days. The enthusiasm among the yatris hardly seems to be dampened by the rains lashing the whole of NorthIndia.

After Amarnath Yatra was suspended due to bad weather from both the base camps, the government on Monday allowed the yatris to resume the pilgrimage from the Baltal base camp. Earlier, the yatra was allowed to resume from Chandanwari a day back due to the improvement in the weather. The authorities also resumed the helicopter service for the pilgrims.

''We are breaking all the records of development, and this time in 7 days we have crossed the figure of one lac pilgrims. This is all due to Baba Amarnath. The weather and yatris and locals all worked together for the smooth going of Yatra. And this time you must have seen that tourists who used to get bothered due to Yatra are freely allowed to move with a cut-off time, '' said VK Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir.

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The pilgrims coming for the Amarnath Yatra with utmost devotion are saying that no matter what, they will carry on the pilgrimage. Several yatris have been waiting in Srinagar and were allowed to reach the base camps on Monday where they can start the yatra from both routes.

''I have come from Kathua and I have been here in Srinagar for the last two days. We were told to wait till the weather clears and today I am going to Dumail to start my Yatra. I am hoping I will be able to do my yatra. I don't care how much I have to wait but I will carry on going for Darshan. I will pray to god that the rains that have unleashed across India should stop, and people should be safe,'' said Abhishek Sharma, a pilgrim.

The number of pilgrims coming for the Amarnath Yatra is surging every day. Thousands of pilgrims are visiting the holy cave and authorities believe that if the numbers continue at such a pace, it could cross the 5 lakhmark this year. The Amarnath Yatra for the first time will be held for 62 days.

''I think it all works on many factors, it depends on the weather, also on the size of the lingam, and generally, we are also thinking that it will cross 5 lakhthis year and we have two sawans this year and since everything is in our favour so we are hoping for the best, '' said V K Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir.

While the yatra has been restored in Kashmir Valley, the national highway still remains closed due to major land-sliding in some areas. Thousands of yatris have been halted at Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar. The government has been working on the restoration of the National Highway so that the pilgrims stranded in Jammu can reach Kashmir Valley to take the pilgrimage.

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