Number of Amarnath pilgrims crosses 2 lakh-mark

More than 21,000 people paid obeisance at the cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas on Saturday, taking the total number of pilgrims past two lakh in the first 15 days of the annual yatra, officials said.

"With 21,401 Shri Amarnathji pilgrims having darshan today, the total count of yatris surpassed the two lakh-mark in the first half of the month of July this year. In total, 2,08,415 devotees have undertaken the pilgrimage till now, " an official spokesman said.

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Those who performed the yatra on Saturday included 15,510 males, 5,034 females, 617 children and 240 seers.

"Among the pilgrims was a Ukrainian lady who shared her views about the pilgrimage and appreciated the arrangements," the spokesman said.

The annual yatra to the cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas began on July 1 from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31.