JAMMU, Aug 2, 2013: On 36th day of pilgrimage, 1591 yatris today performed darshan at holy cave shrine of Shri Amarnath ji in South Kashmir Himalayas of Anantnag district taking total number of yatris paying obeisance to Lord Shiva during this year’s 55 days long annual pilgrimage to 3,38,591.
The yatra was progressing smoothly on twin tracks of Baltal and Pahalgam. The weather was also normal despite early morning rains, official sources said.
A new batch of 776 pilgrims including women and Sadhus today left Nunwan in Pahalgam and Baltal base camps for the holy cave shrine early this morning despite normal rains.
The pilgrimage, which commenced from June 28 from both Baltal and Pahalgam routes, was going on smoothly, sources said.
They said despite intermittent rains and cloudy weather, 401 pilgrims, including women and Sadhus, left Nunwan, Pahalgam base camp for Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on the route. However, those who had night halt at different halting stations, including Chandanwari, also started their onward journey towards the cave shrine.
Sources said 375 yatris left Baltal base camp for the cave shrine.
A batch of 276 pilgrims today left the Jammu base camp for the cave shrine of Amarnath ji.
A convoy of eight vehicles carrying the 36th batch of 276 devotees left the Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar around 5.05 am to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva.
The batch, comprising 169 men, 23 women and 84 Sadhus reached twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal tonight.
A pilgrim has died due to heart attack enroute cave shrine of Amarnath ji, sources said, adding that with this killing the death toll during ongoing pilgrimage has reached 13.
Sixty-year-old Komal Prakash of Shivpura belt of Madhya Pradesh suffered the heart attack at Panjtarni enroute the cave shrine and was shifted to Medical camp, where doctors declared him dead last evening, sources said.
The body has been handed over to the family for last rites.
The total number of deaths that have taken place in 36 days of yatra period is 13, sources said.
Meanwhile, pilgrimage to Machail Mata ji in upper reaches of Kishtwar district entered into second day today with 522 pilgrims leaving base camp of Kishtwar during the day today. Yesterday, 490 yatris have left Kishtwar for paying obeisance to Goddess Machail Mata.
SSP Kishtwar Sunil Gupta has advised the pilgrims to cross Kishtwar by 6 pm, Dool by 6.30 pm and Padyarna by 7.30 pm for onward journey to Gulabgarh for darshan of Machail Mata ji in view of security and weather reasons.
Mr Gupta said the yatra was progressing smoothly.

Source: Daily Excelsior, DT. August 2, 2013.