Record pilgrims to ‘Adi Kailash,’ boosting home stay, hotel industry in Vyans valley

Record pilgrims to ‘Adi Kailash,’ boosting home stay, hotel industry in Vyans valley

B.D.Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, July 4

A record number of total 20388 pilgrims from across the country visited the Indo-China border in Pithoragarh district to view ‘Adi Kailash’, a revered Hindu pilgrimage mountain considered to be the second abode of ‘Lord Shiva’ after Mount Kailash situated in Tibet, between a period of one month when the yatra started on June 2  till July 3, 2024.

“This is record figure of “Adi Kailash” pilgrims and we expect same number of pilgrims to come after the yatra resumes following monsoon season,” said Manjit Singh, Sub- Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Dharchula.

The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ‘Adi Kailash’ in October 2023 and the closure of ‘Kailash Mansarowar Yatra’ from Lipulekh pass in Pithoragarh after 2019 has added to interest of the pilgrims in visiting ‘Adi Kailash’ mountains.

“Despite the reduction of stay days at Gunji from 15 days to only four days by the administration, the pilgrims showed renewed enthusiasm, during the month,” said the SDM.

The increase in the ‘Adi Kailash’ pilgrims boosted the home stay trade in Gunji and surrounding villages of Vyans valley of Pithoragarh district as there was no other accomodation for pilgrims to stay during high altitude phase of the yatra,  except the home stays being operated by locals in the valley villages.

The hotel and home stay owners in Pithoragarh town are also happy as due to facility of providing online permit and medical and fitness certificate in district hospital, large number of ‘Adi Kailash’ pilgrims also reached and stayed in the town.

“It was for the first time in hotel business of Pithoragarh that we could welcome such large number of pilgrims in the town, which till previous years used to go to Dharchula town directly to get essential documents required for travel on the Indo-China border in Vyans Valley,” said Rajendra Bhatt, president of Hotel Association, Pithoragarh.