India, Aug. 17 -- The annual pilgrimage to the ancient Budha Amarnath shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district commenced on Monday, with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagging off the first batch of pilgrims from Jammu amid religious fervour and tight security arrangements.

After performing a pooja, Sinha flagged off the pilgrims from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas around 6.30 am for the 230-km journey to Poonch, officials said.

The 12-day yatra to the Baba Budha Amarnath temple in Rajpura, Mandi tehsil, will continue until August 28 and culminate on Raksha Bandhan.

"Blessed to flag off the sacred Shri Budha Amarnath Ji yatra today. This divine pilgrimage is a transformative experience for devotees", the LG said on X.

He further sa...