Jammu/Srinagar, June 30 -- 'Pratham pujas' were held on Monday in Jammu and at the cave shrine of Amarnath, marking the ceremonial start of the annual pilgrimage beginning July 3.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha performed traditional rituals at the cave shrine while another 'pratham puja' was held for the first time in Jammu city as a part of 'maha yagya' on the banks of the Tawi river.

The annual 57-day pilgrimage is scheduled to begin on July 3 from the twin routes - the 48-km traditional Pahalgam track in south Kashmir's Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.

The first batch of pilgrims will be flagged off from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on July 2. It will...