Jammu, Jul 13 (IANS): Over 2.80 lakh devotees had ‘darshan’ inside the holy cave shrine during the last 14 days as another batch of 4,669 Yatris left for the Valley on Saturday.

Officials of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) headed by Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, that manages the affairs of the Yatra, said that over 2.80 lakh devotees performed the Yatra since it started on June 29.

“Another batch of 4,669 Yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in two escorted convoys for the Valley on Saturday.

“Of these, 1,630 Yatris are going in an escorted convoy of 74 vehicles to north Kashmir Baltal base camp. They left Jammu at 3.05 A.M. Another group of 3,039 Yatris left in another escorted convoy of 109 vehicles at 3.57 A.M. for south Kashmir Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp”, officials said.

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

Devotees believe that this ice stalagmite structure symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 metres above the sea-level in Kashmir Himalayas.

Devotees approach the cave shrine either from the traditional south Kashmir Pahalgam route or the north Kashmir Baltal route.

The Pahalgam-cave shrine axis is 48 kms long and it takes Yatris four to five days to reach the shrine.

The Baltal-Cave shrine axis is 14 kms long and it takes one day for the pilgrims to have ‘darshan’ and return to the base camp.

On Saturday, 4,434 Yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in two escorted convoys for the Valley.

First escorted convoy carrying 1,721 pilgrims in 64 vehicles left at 3 A.M. for the north Kashmir Baltal base camp.

The second escorted convoy carrying 2,713 pilgrims in 101 vehicles left at 3.35 A.M. for the south Kashmir Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp.

This year’s Yatra will conclude after 52 days on August 29 coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals.