Kailash Mansarovar Yatra: 1st batch of 50 pilgrims to arrive in Gangtok on June 15
Darjeeling: After a hiatus of 5 years, the spiritually revered Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Nathula in Sikkim is all set to resume. The first batch of 50 pilgrims will arrive in Gangtok on June 15, marking the revival of one of India’s most sacred cross-border pilgrimages.
CS Rao, Additional Chief Secretary of Sikkim’s Tourism & Civil Aviation department, confirmed that elaborate arrangements are in place for the yatris’ safety and comfort. “Pilgrims will undergo a five-day acclimatisation programme,” he said.
The pilgrims will be staying in Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, at an altitude of around 6,000 feet for a day. They will then acclimatise at 17th Mile at an altitude of 12,500 feet for two days and then at Sherathang at an altitude of 14,300 feet for two days at a state government accommodation. “All necessary logistics have been put in place, including telephone and internet service. Medical requirements, including an ambulance, will be provided for the pilgrims along with two doctors. The Army and ITBP hospitals will also help in case of medical emergencies,” added Rao.
The pilgrims are slated to cross into Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) through Nathula Pass (14,140 feet) on June 20, with the Sikkim government proposing that the Chief Minister ceremonially flag off the yatra from the historic mountain pass.
Once a lesser-known alternative to the arduous Lipulekh route in Uttarakhand, the Nathula route had grown in popularity for its relatively accessible terrain and panoramic views. A total of 10 batches are scheduled to undertake the yatra through the Nathula with around 21 days for each batch. The estimated expense for each person is Rs 2.85 lakh. The last batch will depart from Delhi on August 7 and is scheduled to cross through the Nathula into TAR on August 12. Each batch will have 48 pilgrims along with 2 liaison officers.
From Nathula, the route passes through Yatung, Shigatse, Saga, Darchen in TAR following which the pilgrims undertake the Mount Kailash circumambulation (Parikrama).
The route is fully motorable until Darchen. It is highly suitable for elderly pilgrims unable to undertake the steeper Lipulekh route.
Incidentally, the yatra was suspended in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic followed by a standoff between the two sides on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The militaries of India and China completed disengagement of troops on October 21, 2024.
In January, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held talks with his Chinese counterpart Sun Weidong in Beijing where the two sides decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
