JAMMU, July 5, 2013: A batch of 1,957 devotees on Friday left Jammu base camp to pay obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas. 

A convoy of 69 vehicles, carrying 1,957 devotees, left from Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu at around 5am, police said here. 

The ninth batch of pilgrims, which include 1,412 male, 421 women and 24 children, apart from 100 priests, were on way to twin base camps of Pahalagam and Baltal in the Kashmir Valley. 

With today's batch a total of 20,134 pilgrims have left Jammu base camp for Amarnath so far. 

Over 83,000 pilgrims have paid obeisance of the ice lingam at the Amarnath cave shrine till last evening.

Source: The Times of India, DT, July 5, 2013.