Excelsior Correspondent
![Shri Budha Amarnath ji yatra being flagged off by Maha Mandleshwar Swami Vishavatma Anand Saraswati Ji from Sunderbani on Friday.](http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/page5-1-300x168.jpg)
JAMMU/POONCH, Aug 1: First batch of nearly 1250 pilgrims in 22 buses and six other light and medium motor vehicles left for Poonch today.
The pilgrims mostly from Gujarat, Kerala, Uttrakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Kanpur and Meerut in UP besides various districts of Jammu region left from Jammu yatra base camp at Bhagwati Nagar at 5 am. International president of VHP Raghav Reddy, national convener of Bajarang Dal Rajesh Pandey in presence of State VHP and BD leaders flagged off the first batch of yatra this morning. Spiritual personality Mahant Rameshwar Dass ji Maharaj was leading this batch.
This annual yatra is being organised under the supervision of great spiritual personality 1008 Maha Mandleshwar Swami Vishavatma Anand Saraswati ji Maharaj. Swamiji along with other citizens and devotees received the Yatra at Sunderbani and offered tea and eatables. Pilgrims also paid visit to Mangla Mata shrine in Nowshera and then were received at Rajouri. It was accorded warm welcome by the citizens and members of various religious and social organizations besides officers from district administration.
At Bhimber Gali, a langar was organised by Army ( 6 Sector RR) and pilgrims were offered tea and eatables. Yatra then reached Poonch city late evening. SSP, Shamsheer Hussain ADCs Arvinder Kumar and Mumtaz Ali besides Reception Committee members including SD Sabha president Satish Sasan, Basant Ram president Akhara Mandir Committee, Nishu Gupta from Bajrag Dal received the yatra. A langar was arranged at Akhara Mandir and all the pilgrims were provided accommodation at Degree College, two Higher Secondary Schools, Geeta Bhawan, ITI and other buildings. It will leave for Shri Budha Amarnath ji pilgrimage at Rajpura Mandi tomorrow morning.