<p>"The yatra was stopped around noon as a precautionary measure after heavy rains lashed the track leading to the cave shrine from Pahalgam," they said.<br /><br />They said nearly 20,000 pilgrims left for the cave this morning from the twin base camps of Nunwan in Pahalgam area of Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district.<br /><br />The yatra was progressing smoothly along the 13-km shortest Baltal route, but heavy rains forced the authorities to suspend the yatra temporarily from Pahalgam side, the officials said.<br /><br />They said all the pilgrims have reached safe locations and camps enroute and have been directed to stay there till further orders.<br /><br />"It is still raining heavily and as soon as the weather improves and the track becomes safe, the pilgrims would be allowed to proceed to their destinations," they said.<br /><br />They said while 12,235 pilgrims started their onward journey from Baltal base camp, as many as 7,432 devotees were allowed from Nunwan to track the 45-km distance to the cave shrine, housing the naturally formed ice-shivlingam.<br /><br />The officials said a total of 1,71,582 pilgrims had visited the cave shrine and offered their prayers after having 'darshan' (glimpse) of the ice-lingam.</p>
<p>"The yatra was stopped around noon as a precautionary measure after heavy rains lashed the track leading to the cave shrine from Pahalgam," they said.<br /><br />They said nearly 20,000 pilgrims left for the cave this morning from the twin base camps of Nunwan in Pahalgam area of Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district.<br /><br />The yatra was progressing smoothly along the 13-km shortest Baltal route, but heavy rains forced the authorities to suspend the yatra temporarily from Pahalgam side, the officials said.<br /><br />They said all the pilgrims have reached safe locations and camps enroute and have been directed to stay there till further orders.<br /><br />"It is still raining heavily and as soon as the weather improves and the track becomes safe, the pilgrims would be allowed to proceed to their destinations," they said.<br /><br />They said while 12,235 pilgrims started their onward journey from Baltal base camp, as many as 7,432 devotees were allowed from Nunwan to track the 45-km distance to the cave shrine, housing the naturally formed ice-shivlingam.<br /><br />The officials said a total of 1,71,582 pilgrims had visited the cave shrine and offered their prayers after having 'darshan' (glimpse) of the ice-lingam.</p>