1st batch of Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims crosses Lipulekh Pass, enters Tibet
successfully crossed the Lipulekh Pass in Pithoragarh on Thursday morning, entering the Tibet Autonomous Region, home to the sacred Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake.
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The pilgrimage, organised by the ministry of external affairs, has resumed after a five-year pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Pithoragarh district magistrate Vinod Goswami, the group comprised 45 pilgrims, including 13 women, who began their journey from Delhi on July 4. "All pilgrims started from Nabhidhang on Thursday morning and reached the Lipulekh Pass by 8 pm, where they were received by Chinese personnel," Goswami said.
He added, "All pilgrims are in good health. Medical check-ups were conducted at Gunji, and all participants were declared fit for the high-altitude journey. The group also visited Adi Kailash and Om Parvat en route."
The yatra had faced a temporary setback earlier in the week when a heavy landslide blocked the Dharchula-Lipulekh road at Tawaghat. The first batch, which had reached Dharchula from Tanakpur on Saturday, was scheduled to leave for Gunji on Sunday morning.
However, the landslide forced a delay. The route was cleared later in the day, allowing the pilgrims to resume their journey.
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) commander Prasant Singh noted that this year's yatra is entirely road-based. "The BRO is enhancing road connectivity and upgrading the 119 km stretch from Baluwakot to Lipulekh to ensure a smoother journey for pilgrims," he said.
Meanwhile, the second batch of pilgrims comprising 48 members, including 14 women, reached Gunji on Thursday. They departed from Delhi on July 8 and will spend the next four days at Gunji and Nabhidhang for acclimatisation before crossing the Lipulekh Pass on July 14, Goswami said.
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