Marking the formal commencement of the annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Lord Shiva in Jammu and Kashmir, the J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday flagged off the first batch of devotees going to the holy Amarnath Yatra. 

While speaking on the sidelines of the flag-off event in Jammu and Kashmir, LG Sinha said, "More than a thousand people have just set out for the Budha Amarnath Yatra. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has made excellent arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra," as cited by news agency ANI. 

Swami Budha Amarnath Ji mandir is situated between the main belt of the Pir Panchal Range at Rajpura Mandi, which is 25 km to the northeast of Poonch city. The Amarnath Yatra, as per the Hindu beliefs, is said to be a sacred journey to the mountain where Lord Shiva revealed the secrets of immortality to his consort, Goddess Parvati.