Over 4.4 lakh pilgrims offered prayers at Amarnath shrine, yatra concludes
A total of 4,45,338 worshippers paid homage to the naturally formed ice 'Shivling' during the pilgrimage, according to officials.
The 62-day yearly Amarnath Yatra wrapped up on Thursday (August 31), with over 4.4 lakh devotees participating in prayers at the cave shrine nestled in the southern Kashmir Himalayas this year.
Officials said a total of 4,45,338 devotees paid obeisance to the naturally formed ice 'Shivling' during the pilgrimage which commenced on July 1 through Baltal and Pahalgam routes.
They said 48 people, including pilgrims and service providers, died during the course of the yatra this year and 62 suffered injuries. The deaths were due to weather-related incidents or natural causes, they added.
The number of pilgrims who undertook the yatra this year was higher than last year's 3.65 lakh.
The yatra this year remained peaceful and incident-free, the officials said.
The holy mace of Lord Shiva, popularly known as 'Chhari Mubarak', carried by a group of sadhus and devotees led by its custodian Mahant Deepindra Giri, arrived at the holy cave in the early hours of Thursday for day-long prayers, they said.
The group of sadhus and devotees trekked 42 kilometres from Pahalgam to reach the cave shrine with night halts at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarani.
(With agency inputs)