Amarnath Yatra temporarily halted due to heavy rain

SRINAGAR: The movement of Amarnath pilgrims towards the cave shrine was temporarily halted on Saturday from both north and south Kashmir base camps due to heavy rain in the area.

Officials said that the movement of Yatris from north Kashmir's Baltal base camp and from south Kashmir's Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp has been temporarily halted due to heavy rain along the twin routes.

Yatris from Baltal base camp have to cover a 14 km-long track to the cave shrine on foot or on ponies, while those using the traditional Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp have to cover 48 kms which takes four days (one way).

The Pahalgam-cave shrine axis involves Pahalgam to Chandanwari (24 kms), Chandanwari to Sheshnag (13 kms), Sheshnag to Panchtarni (5 kms) and Panchtarni to Cave Shrine (6 kms).

Those taking the 14 km-long Baltal base camp route return the same day to the base camp after ‘Darshan’ inside the cave shrine.