Srinagar, July 22 (IANS) Due to adverse weather, Amarnath Yatra remained suspended for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday and all devotees lodged inside transit camps and base camps of Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam) were safe.
Officials said that all religious Yatras in Jammu and Kashmir, including Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra, Shiv Khori Yatra and Machail Mata Yatra, remained suspended for the fourth consecutive day due to heavy rain, flash floods and cloudbursts.
In view of the inclement weather forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the UT administration suspended all Yatras in J&K on Saturday evening. The Amarnath Yatra from twin tracks of Baltal in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir and Nandiwan-Pahalgam in South Kashmir Anantnag district was suspended on the evening of July 18, besides Yatra to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, Katra; Shiv Khori shrine in Reasi and Machail Mata Shrine in Kishtwar were also suspended the same day.
The pilgrims were asked by the authorities not to move ahead till the official communication in view of the IMD forecast.
Though the stranded pilgrims from Panchtarni, the last halting station on Pahalgam track to cave shrine and Baltal Base Camp, were allowed to leave for darshan on July 19 and July 20 respectively, no Yatri was allowed to leave for holy cave of Shri Amarnath on Wednesday due to heavy rainfall in Yatra area, officials said.
Officials said Yatra from Jammu to twin base camps of Baltal and Nandiwan-Pahalgam also remained suspended for the third consecutive day. There are about 6,000 pilgrims in Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here and adjoining Asha Ram Bapu Ashram. However, over 2,000 Amarnath-bound stranded pilgrims at Jammu left for their home states in view of continuous rainfall.
Besides, there are 250 Sadhus at Geeta Bhawan Jammu and 200 at Ram Mandir, Purani Mandi here. Various philanthropic organisations have already opened Langars to serve free food to pilgrims.
Officials said 2,800 pilgrims are stranded at Nandiwan-Pahalgam in Anantnag district. They are waiting for the opening of the track to leave for darshan of the holy cave.
The officials said almost all the pilgrims stranded at Baltal were allowed to leave for darshan on Tuesday, but no pilgrim from Nunwan was allowed to go ahead in view of the inclement weather.
Besides, there are 438 pilgrims at Yatri Niwas Pantha Chowk, Srinagar, 134 at Baltal in Ganderbal district and 458 at Yatri Niwas Chanderkot in Ramban district.
It may be recalled that IMD has made a six-day inclement weather forecast in J&K from July 19 to July 24. Officials said the Mata Vaishno Devi, Shiv Khori and Machail Mata Yatra remained suspended; however, a symbolic Chhari Yatra was taken to Sarthal Mata Shrine from Kishtwar on Tuesday in celebration of the birthday of the Goddess.
It may be recalled that 3.91 lakh pilgrims visited the holy cave of Shri Amarnath Ji in the last 21 days since the Yatra started on July 3.
The 57-day-long Yatra to the holy cave of Baba Barfani, situated at an altitude of 3888 metres, will culminate on Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals on August 28.
–IANS
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