India, April 12 -- The annual pilgrimage to the Hindu cave-shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir will begin on July 3, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Sunday. Advance registrations for the yatra - which will continue for 57 days and conclude on August 28 - will begin on April 15, he told reporters at Lok Bhavan, news agency PTI reported.

"The Amarnath Yatra will commence on July 3 and conclude on August 28. Overall, this year's pilgrimage will be slightly longer, lasting about 57 days," Sinha said.

The dates for the yatra were decided at the meeting of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), which was chaired by Sinha. According to the guidelines, only those between the ages of 13 and 70 will be able to underta...