By IANS,
Srinagar : The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir continued smoothly Friday as Governor N.N. Vohra and about 6,000 pilgrims offered prayers there.
The fresh batch of 6,000 pilgrims had left the Baltal base camp in north Kashmir for the hill shrine this morning to have a glimpse of the ice stalagmite, which Hindus revere as an icon of Lord Shiva.
This came despite separatists’ call for a march to Baramulla in north Kashmir Friday.
On Thursday, 4,958 yatris had a darshan inside the holy cave, which is at a height of 12,760 feet.
Governor Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), visited the cave shrine and offered prayers there. He also interacted with the pilgrims there and later at the Baltal base camp.
The pilgrims expressed satisfaction at the arrangements made by the SASB and the state administration for their safe pilgrimage.
The governor also visited Panchtarni on the Pahalgam route in south Kashmir to the cave shrine and took stock of snow clearance there.
The traditional south Kashmir route is yet to open as heavy snow still blocks the 34-km track from the Pahalgam base camp to the cave.
An SASB spokesperson said another batch of 1,860 pilgrims had left Jammu and Kashmir winter capital Jammu Friday for the Baltal base camp.