Jammu

A fresh batch of 3,500 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here on Thursday to offer prayers at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the Anantnag district, officials said.

The 22nd batch of pilgrims, comprising 2,704 men, 675 women, 12 children and 109 sadhus and sadhvis, left the base camp in two convoys of 140 vehicles for Pahalgam and Baltal under tight security.

While 2,668 pilgrims left for Pahalgam in a convoy of 95 vehicles, 832 pilgrims left in a convoy of 45 vehicles via the Baltal route.

With this, 1,33,878 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp for Kashmir since July 2, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch.

Since the 38-day annual Amarnath Yatra commenced on July 3, over 3.40 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high shrine housing a naturally formed ice shivlingam.

Last year, over 5.10 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine.

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The pilgrimage will conclude on August 9, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.