Jammu, Aug 20: The smallest batch of 43 pilgrims today left the base camp in Jammu for the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas as the 60-day annual pilgrimage entered the final phase with the holy mace joining the Yatra, officials said.
The 45th batch of pilgrims comprising 42 men and a woman left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp this morning for Kashmir to undertake the Yatra through the shortest 12-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, the officials said.
This was the smallest batch of pilgrims leaving for the cave shrine from here since the commencement of the 60-day Yatra from the twin routes of Baltal and traditional 36-km Pahalgam route in Ganderbal district on June 28.
