Another batch of 1,021 pilgrims leave for Amarnath

An outside view of sacred Amarnath cave, one of the most revered of Hindu shrines, on July 17, 2011. Photo: Nissar Ahmad.

Amid tight security, the 27th batch of 1,021 Amarnath yatra pilgrims on Tuesday left for the holy shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas from the base camp in Jammu.

As many as 179 women and 11 children left from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here around 0515 hours this morning in a cavalcade of vehicles for the 13,500-feet high cave shrine.

With today’s batch, as many as 71,208 pilgrims have left Jammu in 27 batches for their onward journey to Amarnath.

Till last night, around 5.72 lakh pilgrims had darshan at the cave shrine.

The yatra is scheduled to end on August 13, coinciding with the Hindu festival of ‘Raksha Bandhan’.