JAMMU, JULY 15, 2013: A small batch of 1,027 pilgrims today left the Jammu base camp for their onward journey to the cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir.

A convoy of 43 vehicles, carrying a batch of 1,027 devotees, left the Yatri Niwas Bhagwati Nagar at around 4.50 AM to pay obeisance at the holy cave shrine in the Kashmir Valley, police said.

The 19th batch includes 710 men, 183 women, 9 children apart from 125 priests, they added.

With today’s batch, a total of 38,364 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for their onward journey.

“This is the smallest batch pilgrims so far. There has been a fall in number of pilgrims leaving for the cave shrine from here”, officials said.

Over 2.25 lakh pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the holy ice lingum of Lord Shiva at Amarnath cave shrine.

Source: Business  Line, DT. July 15, 2013.