‘Adi Kailash yatra’ affected by unseasonal snow

‘Adi Kailash yatra’ affected by unseasonal snow

B.D.Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, May 10

Due to unseasonal snowfall and blockade of roads due to glaciers and snow, the ‘Adi Kailash yatra’ being undertaken from May 3 in Pithoragarh district has been  affected.

Due to landslides and glaciers on Kuti to Jolingkong route, the number of pilgrims has been reduced, according to officials of the Kumoan Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) which is undertaking the yatra.

“Due to blockade on ‘Adi Kailash’ route, our first batch  of 19 pilgrims could not have ‘Darshan’ of ‘Adi Kailash’, and had to return from Kuti village. The batch has returned to Chaukari camp,” said A.P. Vajpayee, General Manager of the Nodal agency KMVN.

According to Vajpayee, due to blockade on Jolingkong route, the 12 members second batch of ‘Adi Kailash yatra’ is being returned from Gunji, after having ‘Darshan’ of ‘Om Parvat’ only.” The 3rd batch of pilgrims, comprising only seven  members as the number of registration for the pilgrimage has gone down following inclement weather conditions ,” said the Nigam GM.

According Dhan Singh, Base camp incharge  of the Yatra at Dharchula, said that it would take atleast two weeks time for the snow to melt unless removed physically or by snow dozers to restart the yatra again.

The KMVN officials said that had the snow not blocked the route the number of pilgrims would have been 30 plus in every batch.” A total of 170 pilgrims have registered for Yatra so far, the number is less compared to that of the  last years,” said the KMVN official.