Snow halts Amarnath Yatra on Pahalgam route

Srinagar, July 3 : The ongoing annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine was suspended from the south Kashmir's Pahalgam route Friday due to snowfall on the mountain track.

A spokesman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), which manages the affairs of the two-month long pilgrimage, said four to six inches of snowfall was recorded Friday morning at Wavbal, Mahagunas Top and Poshpatri on the south Kashmir Pahalgam route to the cave.

'The overall weather scenario in the entire Yatra (pilgrimage) region is cloudy with intermittent rains,' the spokesman said.

A batch of 1,800 pilgrims were, however, allowed to proceed to the Amarnath cave shrine from the north Kashmir Baltal base camp Friday.

The SASB had Thursday evening organised an air rescue sortie to fly out a critically ailing pilgrim from the cave to the Baltal base camp.

'This was the fourth chartered rescue sortie organised by the SASB to save the lives of critically ill yatris, notwithstanding the fact that the Board has been repeatedly emphasising on pilgrims to abide by its advisory that no person having any medical problem or ailment must embark upon this arduous Himalayan Yatra, particularly in the wake of the continuing unpredictable weather,' the SASB spokesman said.

As many as 7,263 devotees visited the cave shrine Thursday. The shrine houses an ice stalagmite that is seen as an icon of Lord Shiva by the devotees. The Shivalingam is the main attraction for thousands of devotees who throng the cave shrine each year.