Srinagar, July 18 -- An official confirmed that the pilgrimage was halted on Thursday following continuous rainfall that triggered landslides along the twin routes, raising safety concerns. With weather conditions improving, authorities allowed the yatra to resume on Friday morning.

Amid an atmosphere of devotion and spiritual zeal, a total of 16,858 pilgrims offered prayers at the sacred 3,880-metre-high shrine in the Himalayas of south Kashmir.

The pilgrims included 11,357 males, 4,816 females, 220 children, 125 sadhus, 18 sadhvis, and 322 security personnel. With Friday's numbers, the total number of pilgrims who have visited the cave shrine since the Yatra began has touched 2,73,091.

Meanwhile, the 16th batch of 7,908 pilgrims depa...