A batch of 451 pilgrims left a base camp for the Kashmir Valley under tight security on Tuesday to undertake the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, officials here said.
The batch, the smallest so far, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in a convoy of 18 vehicles for the twin base camps in Pahalgam and Baltal between 3.30 am and 3.45 am, the officials said.
The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1.
The traditional 48-kilometre Nunwan-Pahalgam route was chosen by 303 pilgrims, including 26 women and 20 seers. The shorter but more challenging 14-kilometre Baltal route was preferred by the remaining 148, including 25 women. So far, more than 4.23 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the cave shrine. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31.
