Jammu, July 30: More than 1,400 pilgrims embarked on the Amarnath Yatra from Jammu in the early hours of Tuesday, officials reported.
The 33rd batch of 1,477 pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp at 3:25 am, escorted by personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police. The convoy consisted of 52 vehicles.
Of the pilgrims, 1,100 chose the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district, while 377 opted for the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, officials said.
To date, over 4.65 lakh pilgrims have visited the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine, home to the naturally-formed ice lingam. The yatra, which began on June 29, is scheduled to conclude on August 19.