Amarnath Yatra was on Friday suspended on Baltal and Pahalgam routes due to incessant rainfall since Thursday night.
The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine will begin on Monday albeit only from the Baltel route as the traditional south route via Pahalgam is still snow-bound.
Another tragedy struck on the Amarnath pilgrims on Sunday when a bus on its way to Pahalgam fell into a deep gorge.
The 'pratham pujan' which marks the beginning of the annual pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine of Amarnath was held on Wednesday at Panjtarni, on the Pahalgam-cave shrine trek.
A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said that due silence has to be maintained only in front of the ice stalagmite resembling the 'ShivaLinga'.
This period saw big stars of the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev fade into the sunset while it was witness to the birth of slew of young Indian cricketers that made their mark home and abroad.
The Holy mace of Lord Shiva reached the 3,880 metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath on Saturday morning coinciding with the Hindu festival of Rakhsha Bandan, marking the end of the two-month annual pilgrimage, official sources said.
Amid chanting of religious hymns and tolling of bells, the annual Amarnath Yatra began on Tuesday with the first batch of 2,837 pilgrims starting their journey from Jammu to the cave shrine in south Kashmir, protected by a three-tier security ring.
The pilgrims have been asked not to proceed to the cave in view of threat of landslides posed by heavy rains, the officials said adding they have been asked to take shelter in the specially erected shelter-sheds on both the routes.
The ice Shiv lingam has melted down owing to the rise in temperature.
Speculation is rife that former India batsman Mohinder Amarnath could be replaced by Roger Binny as selector and may lose out on becoming chairman of the national selection committee following differences with incumbent chairman K Srikkanth.
Weather affects the shape and size of the icelingam.
The Yatra has been suspended as there has been snowfall at several places.
Asserting that Article 370 is a thing of the past, Shah stated that no one can bring it back.
Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday said Amarnath Yatra would resume on Tuesday from Jammu base camp after being suspended for the last three days due to the curfew.
Hero of the 1983 World Cup, Mohinder Amarnath and in-form opener Gautam Gambhir hogged the limelight at the annual awards function of the Cricket Board held in Mumbai on Sunday.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Thursday refused to accept the date fixed by Shri Amarnath Shrine Board for the annual pilgrimage to the cave temple in south Kashmir Himalayas, saying the yatra this year will commence on June 4 for which it will begin registering pilgrims from Friday.
Mahant Deependra Giri, the custodian of the holy mace, accompanied by over 100 'sadhus' reached the shrine with the Charri Mubarak this morning, Shri Amarnath Shrine Board officials said.
Former India captains Bishan Singh Bedi and Anil Kumble along with yesteryear's great Mohinder Amarnath had deposed before the Justice Lodha Committee as they prepare an exhaustive report on the restructuring and reforms that need to be carried by the BCCI.
Describing the Amarnath yatra as the most secular pilgrimage in the world, Jammu and Kashmir Governor S K Sinha said it symbolises the pluralistic ethos of Kashmir.
Mahant Dipendra Giri and a group of sadhus, who carried the Chhari Mubarik, (holy mace of Lord Shiva) were among the first to have the darshan on Tuesday morning.
'Based upon the circumstances, the Board decided with heavy heart that it is not advisable to hold and conduct this year's Shri Amarnathji Yatra and expressed its regret to announce the cancellation of Yatra 2020,' the SASB said in a statement.
The sole Indian in contention said that he wasn't disappointed at losing out on the job of India coach.
The holy lingam (phallic symbol of Shiva) at the shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas melted 10 days back, Chief Executive Officer (Ecology), Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, Arun Kumar told PTI.
Union Ministers Jitendra Singh and Hansraj Ahir assure Mehbooba Mufti of the Centre's support.
"I am certainly interested in the job and have the time\nto devote to it," said the former India cricketer.
Former India cricketer Mohinder Amarnath on Monday criticised Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men for taking a depleted Australian side too lightly and said the hosts' overconfidence eventually cost them the ODI series.
A 23-year-old Indian student is missing in the United States state of California since last week and police have sought the public's help in finding her, the latest case in the country as the community grapples with a string of such incidents involving students.
The police claimed the bus driver had violated rules for the pilgrimage.
The two-month old Amarnath pilgrimage concluded on Wednesday with a group of devotees carrying the mace of Lord Shiva to the 3,880 metre high cave shrine in South Kashmir.
The 37-day annual pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine of Amarnath will commence from June 25, the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board which manages the yatra said.
The Amarnath yatra, suspended for two days, resumed from Jammu on Friday.
The 39-day long annual pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine of Amarnath concluded on Thursday amid traditional prayers at the cave shrine.
The annual Amarnath yatra has been re-scheduled and will now commence from June 15. The postponement has been forced by the presence of heavy snow on the yatra route to the Himalayan Cave Shrine located at a height of 13000 feet from both southern Chandanwari and northern Baltal routes.
Heavy rains were lashing Pahalgam and Baltal sections of Amarnath routes and tracks have become slippery.
A cloudburst hit the the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas but there was no report of any casualties.
The yatra to the Holy cave shrine of Amarnath resumed on Saturday morning from north Kashmir's Baltel route after remaining suspended on Friday.
Member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team Kirti Azad on Thursday backed the BCCI's directive for cricketers to play Ranji Trophy, saying it's a good move and the rule should be applicable to every India team player, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
