SRINAGAR, July 8 -- Sarika could not hold back her emotions when she boarded a bus in Jammu to reach Pahalgam for the Amarnath Yatra. Unfazed by the terror attack, she chanted 'Bum Bum Bhole' and embarked on a spiritual journey that she had been waiting for years.

"It is a dream come true for us. There are 21 people in the group. It is the first time that we are embarking on this journey. We are very excited," she said.

Sarika is not an isolated case. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are hitting the traditional Pahalgam route toperform the darshan of the holy Shiv Lingam. "It has been something I have been waiting for years. I want to pray for my family, friends, and well-wishers," said another pilgrim.

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