Srinagar, July 4 -- As the first light of dawn ushered in, the first batches of devotees undertaking the annual Amarnath Yatra started their pilgrimage to the cave shrine in Kashmir Himalayas from the base camps in south and central Kashmir on Thursday. And after hours of trek, hundreds of pilgrims reached the shrine. Over 12,000 pilgrims had darshan of the naturally formed ice 'Shivling' in the holy cave shrine of Amarnath on the first day of the pilgrimage, officials said. "A total of 12,348 pilgrims paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre high cave shrine on the first day of the pilgrimage," they said. The first batch of 5,892 pilgrims, who had assembled in base camps in Kashmir after they were flagged off from Jammu in security convoys on Wednesday, started the trek early morning from Baltal base camp in central Ganderbal district and Nunwan base camp in south Kashmir's Pahalgam in Anantnag district. Chanting religious slogans, the pilgrims appeared full of zeal as officials, including Kashmir divisional commissioner Vijay Kumar Bidhuri flagged off the batch of pilgrims for the journey towards the cave shrine from Baltal. "We are a batch of 40 people who have come from Andhra Pradesh in a bus. For all of us this is the first time that we have come for the yatra. The police have been helping a lot," said a pilgrim at Baltal. While Pahalgam is the longer (48km) but easier route, Baltal (14 km) route's steepness makes it difficult, despite it being shorter. For the past few years, the administration has been widening the tracks, installing railings and lights for the ease of the pilgrims. Those taking the Baltal route return from the pilgrimage on the same day. The journey through Pahalgam takes a few days to complete. At the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam, pilgrims were all praise for the security arrangements and the facilities. Union minister of state, Shobha Karandlaje, had also come for the yatra. "A lot of people have come, even from foreign countries. I have come many times before as well but this time the infrastructure is also good. Roads and tunnels have been constructed. People of Kashmir are together strengthening this yatra," she said before the trek. The authorities have put in place an elaborate security plan to thwart any danger to the pilgrims and tourists. Ganderbal senior superintendent of police (SSP) Khalil Poswal said all the forces are on ground for a secure yatra. "The security from the camping site, including route up to holy cave is in place. In addition to that we are also dominating the ridges. We are ensuring that the yatra is conducted in a secure atmosphere," he said....