Kailash Mansarovar yatra unlikely from Lipulelkh pass this year also

Kailash Mansarovar yatra unlikely from Lipulelkh pass this year also

B.D.Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, April 7

The annual pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in Chinese Tibet from Lipulekh pass of Pithoragarh district is unlikely to commence this year as no instructions concerning the yatra have been received from Union Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India till date, said A.P. Bajpai, General Manager of Kumoan Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN),  the nodal agency of the yatra.

“Before Corona epidemic, the yatra preparations used to begin from January onwards after receiving instructions from Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, but this year we are still waiting the instructions despite the fact that the time for preparations has already passed,” said the Nigam GM.

Situated in the Western Himalayan ranges of Tibetan Autonomous Region, the 6638m tall diamond shaped Mount Kailash (also Kailāsa) and the largest fresh waterLake Mansarovar (also Manas Sarovar) are the source of great energy and mental peace for mankind. Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar are revered as the most sacred places in Hindu, Jain, Bodh and Bon religions. Every year during May to October months, devotees and adventure seekers travel to Kailash Mansarovar in large number from all over the world.

The KMVN officer said that they were hoping for start of the Yatra from this year as the corona infection has come to it’s lowest. “Due to Corona epidemic the Kailash Mansarovar  Yatra from Lipulekh pass in Pithoragarh district remained suspended since 2020,” said the Nigam officer.

Pithoragarh District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan said that till date he has not received any instructions concerning Kailash Mansarovar yatra from any central government agency. “The time to prepare for yatra at district level has already passed  this year, even if we receive the instructions now, it will be difficult to meet the deadline of Yatra, that begins from June first week every year, ” said the DM.

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Lipulekh pass was started in the year 1981, and every year a total of almost 1000 pilgrims from all over India go to have pilgrimage to abode of Lord Shiva, in Chinese territory of Tibet.

“If the yatra  does not commences this year, from next year, it will be possible to reach Lipulekh pass by vehicles as the road to Lipulekh pass is being made rom Gunji onwards to Nabhidhang by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) these days,” said the DM. Earlier, the pilgrims in the absence of any road used to trek from Mangti Nallh upto Lipulekh pass, a distance of nearly 90 kilomteres. From Lipulesk pass, the Chinese used to provide vehicles for onward journey to Kailash Mansarovar. The KMVN was the nodal agency taking care of the pilgrims along with Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) which used to provide security to pilgrims till China Border.

Meanwhile, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat in his social media post has expressed concern at the delay in announcing the re-start of the yatra. He recalled that he was amongst the first batch of pilgrims which went to Kailash Mansarovar yatra in 1981. With Kailash Mansarovar yatra likely to cancel for the third consecutive year this year hoteliers, pony owners, small shopkeepers enroute the yatra and guides are going to suffer.