First batch of Amarnath Yatra with over 4,600 pilgrims reach Kashmir valley

The first batch of pilgrims for the annual Amarnath Yatra reached the Kashmir valley on Friday amid stringent security arrangements, officials said. After their arrival in Srinagar, senior officials in police and civil administration, and local people welcomed the 4,603 pilgrims at the Navyug tunnel in Qazigund area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district, they added. The 52-day pilgrimage will begin from the twin tracks -- the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal -- on Saturday and conclude on August 19. Amid chants of "Bum Bum Bhole" and "Har Har Mahadev", Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch from the Yatri Niwas base camp at Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu early Friday morning. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha wished the pilgrims a safe journey. "May the blessings of Baba Amarnath ji bring peace, happiness and prosperity to everyone's life," he said. They reached Srinagar in a cavalcade of 231 li