Jammu, August 26: The two-month-long annual Amarnath Yatra to the cave shrine concluded on Sunday on the day of Shravan Purnima. Reports inform that nearly three lakh Yatris paid obeisance at the holy Amarnath Cave Shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas. The 60-day pilgrimage had begun on June 28 from the twin routes of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district. The annual yatra concludes today and the holy Silver Mace of Lord Shiva will be taken inside the cave shrine for final puja.

Owing to freezing cold, the number of pilgrims undertaking the yatra has marked a sharp dip this year. Braving weather conditions, thousands joined the yatra to the 3,880-metre high holy cave shrine of Amarnath. Reports inform that despite interruptions due to torrential rains, over 2 lakh 84 thousand Yatris paid obeisance at the holy Amarnath Cave Shrine this year. With extraordinary security arrangements put in place to protect the pilgrims, the yatra was carried on very smoothly. According to reports, four yatris were killed in a landslide on the Baltal route during this year's pilgrimage.

According to a PTI report, the number of pilgrims paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir Himalayas crossed the 2 lakh mark in 33 days this year, which was the highest since the last 3 years. "On the 33rd day of the ongoing Amarnathji Yatra yesterday, 3,827 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave and cumulatively since the beginning of the pilgrimage on June 28, 2,62,314 pilgrims paid darshan at the holy cave," an official spokesperson said.

In 2017, the total number of pilgrims, who visited the shrine, was 2,60,003 in 40 days, whereas in this year the pilgrimage crossed this number in 33 days. In 2016, as many as 2,20,490 pilgrims visited the cave shrine, but it was highest in 2014, with 3,72,909 pilgrims. In 2013, the total number of pilgrims who paid their obeisance at the holy shrine was 3,53,969  while in 2015 it was 3,52,771 pilgrims.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 26, 2018 04:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).