JAMMU: Over 17,000 pilgrims on Thursday paid obeisance to Lord Shiva at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, taking the total number of pilgrims to 1,45,000 in the first week, officials said here.

A total of 17,022 pilgrims paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre high holy cave shrine on the Himalayas in south Kashmir on Wednesday, the officials said.

The pilgrims included 12,471 men, 4,000 women, 182 children, 253 security forces personnel and 113 sadhus and sadhvis.