Jammu, July 24: Nearly 3800 pilgrims left Jammu today for the cave shrine in Amarnath where 14,000 devotees have so far paid obeisance to the holy ice 'lingam' this season.

The batch comprising 3822 pilgrims, including 564 women and 283 sadhus, left in 274 vehicles even as thousands more remained stranded here as they had arrived much earlier than their scheduled date for embarking on the yatra, official sources said. Reports from Srinagar said nearly 14,000 pilgrims have so far had darshan at the cave shrine located at an altitude of 3880 metres in south Kashmir Himalayas.

Sources said administration was having a difficult time making arrangements for those still in Jammu.

J&K chief secretary I S Malhi said efforts were being made to accommodate up to 8000 pilgrims at Nunwan and Pahalgam base camps, up from 6000 at present. He said arrangements had already been made to accommodate 4000 pilgrims each at Sheshnag and Panchtarni, 2500 at Baltal, 1500 at Manigam and 1800 at Srinagar.

"In the wake of inclement weather, focus should be to lodge pilgrims at Panchtarni and sheshnag so that they don't get trapped at Mahagunas or Pissu Ghati which are at high altitude," he said.

The yatra was suspended on Sunday due to bad weather. Bureau Report