Amarnath Yatra suspended due to bad weather

JAMMU — Authorities suspended the Amarnath Yatra on Sunday due to bad weather in Jammu and Kashmir.

Officials said no pilgrim will be allowed to move towards the Valley today due to bad weather.

It has been intermittently raining along the nearly 300-km long Jammu-Srinagar national highway since yesterday. Moderate rain also lashed the twin tracks of Baltal and Pahalgam, which are used by the pilgrims to reach the cave shrine from the two base camps.

Officials said since it started on July 1 this year, 3,17,726 pilgrims had darshan at the cave shrine during the last 27 days.

Situated at a height of 3,888 metres above the sea-level in the Himalayan ranges in Kashmir, Amarnath cave houses an ice stalagmite structure that symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva, according to the devotees. The ice structure waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon.

So far, 26 pilgrims have died during the yatra. In addition to this, two volunteers and two security men also lost their lives.

Yatra started on July 1 and will conclude on August 15 coinciding with Raksha Bandhan on the Shravan Purnima day.