Manoj Sinha performs Pratham Puja, kicks off Amarnath Yatra today
India
Jammu and Kashmir's Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha kicked off this year's Amarnath Yatra by performing the traditional Pratham Puja at the famous cave shrine on Monday.
The 57-day pilgrimage officially starts Friday and wraps up on August 28, lining up with Raksha Bandhan.
Sinha prayed for peace and prosperity, inviting people to join in big numbers for the journey.
Top officials attend as routes upgraded
The Pratham Puja is a spiritually important ritual that signals the start of the annual trek to see the naturally formed Shiva Lingam inside the cave.
Top officials joined Sinha at the ceremony this year.
To make things smoother for pilgrims, authorities have upgraded facilities and improved safety along both main routes, expecting a huge turnout for this year's Yatra.