Excitement, devotion mark yatra beginning

Pahalgam, July 1: A feeling of fulfilment was palpable on the faces of hundreds of Amarnath Yatris as they left the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam for the Amarnath cave shrine on Monday.

The 52-day yatra commenced from Kashmir on June 29 and will end on August 19.

The yatris left for the cave shrine at daybreak.

The yatris travel to Chandanwari by cabs and from there they either walk or ride ponies to reach the cave shrine. The total distance from the Nunwan base camp to the cave shrine is 48 km.

Muffled up in woollens, an unusual excitement could be seen among the yatris as they began trekking up to the cave shrine.

Rakesh Pawar, a yatri from Maharashtra said that he was very happy to embark on the yatra.

“I have been waiting for this yatra for a long and today I finally got a chance to begin this spiritual journey,” he said.

Pawar expressed his contentment over the arrangements made by the government for the yatris.

The government has set up medical facilities both at Nunwan and Chandanwari to meet any medical emergency.

Wearing a broad smile, a woman yatri said every individual should once visit here.  She said that she would pray that all the individuals complete their yatra happily and safely.

Raja Ram, a septuagenarian yatri from Maharashtra said that he was happy with the arrangements made by the administration and felt that his long-standing wish was fulfilled.