Jammu, Jul 12 : A fresh batch of 9,153 pilgrims, including 2,345 women, departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu early Sunday to join the annual Amarnath Yatra in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.
The pilgrims, travelling in 359 vehicles, left for the twin base camps of Baltal in Ganderbal district and Nunwan (Pahalgam) in Anantnag district under multi-tier security arrangements, the officials said.
They said the 11th batch of pilgrims included 18 children. The vehicles rolled out from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in two separate convoys between 2.40 am and 3.35 am.
The first convoy, carrying 3,429 pilgrims, left for the Baltal base camp at 2.44 am. The second convoy, comprising 5,724 pilgrims departed for the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp at 3.35 am, they said.
According to officials, more than 2.30 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the naturally formed ice lingam inside the shrine since the commencement of the 57-day annual pilgrimage on July 3.
The pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan
