India on Tuesday announced the cancellation of the visit of first two batches of pilgrims for the annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra that was to begin from June one following China's inability to receive the pilgrims citing 'domestic reasons'.

China was recently hit by a massive earthquake, which caused widespread death and destruction.

An official spokesman said in response to a question in New Delhi that the pilgrimage would now commence from June 13 with batch number three scheduled to leave from New Delhi and efforts were being made with the Chinese authorities to accommodate the pilgrims of the first two batches in the following ones.