Shimla, Jul 10 (PTI) The annual Shrikhand Yatra, one of the most difficult religious yatras with perilous trek, officially commenced on Thursday with chairman of Milk Federation, Budhi Singh, flagging off the first batch.

Adequate arrangements have been made for the yatra, which would conclude on July 23. The trust has decided that only 800 pilgrims would be allowed per day, said Kullu Deputy Commissioner Tarul S Ravish on Thursday.

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Situated at a height of 16900 feet above the sea level in the Kullu district, Shrikhand Mahadev is one of the toughest pilgrimages in India. It is a 35 km (one way) harsh trek snaking through alpine meadows to a 72-feet pinnacle of rock called Shivlinga.

The DC urged the pilgrims to take care of cleanliness during the yatra and scrupulously avoid use of drugs. She said that five camps have been set up for the convenience of pilgrims at Sinhgad, Tharchu, Kunsha, Bhimdawari Parvati Baag, adding that healthcare, police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other necessary arrangements have been made at the camps.

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Registration and medical examination of the pilgrims is mandatory, and those who could not get them registered online will have the facility to get registered at the base camp, she said. The rates of eatables have been fixed by the administration and 'langars' have also been organised at some places, she added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)