Author: IANS
Publication: The Times of India
Date: July 1, 2010
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/15000-pilgrims-start-this-years-Amarnath-yatra/articleshow/6114101.cms
The annual Amarnath pilgrimage in Jammu and
Kashmir kicked off on Thursday with over 15,000 pilgrims beginning the climb
to the cave shrine dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
"More than 7,000 yatris began their uphill
14-km trek at 8 am on Thursday from Baltal to the cave. Another batch of 1,100
yatris has also left the Manigam transit camp for Baltal," a senior police
officer said here.
"All the pilgrims are safe. Adequate
arrangements of security have been made at Baltal, Manigam and all along the
yatra route," he added.
The nearly two-month-long Amarnath Yatra (pilgrimage)
ends on Aug 25.
Another batch of 8,000 pilgrims left the Nunwan
base camp in Pahalgam town for Chandanwari, the first of the four stopovers
in the 35-km trek from Pahalgam to the cave shrine, located at a height of
13,500 feet.
Hari Prasad, 49, a resident of Haryana who
left the Manigam transit camp for Baltal, said: "We shall pray for peace
in Kashmir and the rest of the country when we reach the holy cave."
"This is the land of saints and 'rishis'
(sages) besides being the abode of Lord Shiva. The people here are nice and
hospitable. This is my third yatra and I know the locals have always helped
the yatris in times of emergency," he added.
Extraordinary security arrangements have been
made for the pilgrimage this year because of the heightened tensions in the
Kashmir Valley.
Around 3,000 Border Security Force (BSF) troopers
reached south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Wednesday to provide security
to the devotees.
While 1.5 lakh pilgrims have registered themselves
so far, it is expected that the number of pilgrims will cross the half-million
mark this year.
The cave shrine has a natural ice stalagmite
that is worshipped as a Shiv Lingam, a symbol of Lord Shiva.
