India, July 2 -- Marking the formal commencement of the Amarnath Yatra, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of 4,822 pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu at 5am on Thursday.

Expressing his wishes, Sinha posted on X: "Har Har Mahadev! The sacred journey to the holy abode of Baba Barfani begins. Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra is a profound spiritual awakening. Every step taken on this holy path is a testament to unwavering faith and surrender to Baba Amarnath. Wishing all devotees a safe, blissful and spiritually fulfilling journey."

On Monday, the Lieutenant Governor had performed the Pratham Puja at the cave shrine, marking the ceremonial start of the pilgrimage.

According to...