JAMMU: The 25th batch of 2,197 pilgrims, including 365 women, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here on Sunday to pay obeisance at the holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.

The pilgrims, including 49 sadhus and 10 sadhvis, left for the twin base camps of Nunwan-Pahalgam in Anantnag and Baltal in Ganderbal in separate convoys under tight security arrangements in the early hours of the day, they said.

While 1,624 pilgrims are heading for Pahalgam base camp in a convoy of 62 vehicles, 573 pilgrims onboard 38 vehicles have preferred the Baltal route, officials said.

The 38-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre high cave shrine started from the two routes on July 3 and is scheduled to end on August 9, coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival.

Over 3.70 lakh pilgrims have so far visited the shrine.