The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a religious pilgrimage undertaken by the Hindus to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in the Tibetan autonomous region of China, will resume through the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim.
The development comes as Sikkim marks 50 years of statehood. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to celebrate in the statehood day celebrations, sources told NDTV earlier.
The pilgrimage, which is set to resume after a gap of five years, is organised by the Ministry of External Affairs from June to September annually through two different routes - Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim. The yatra is undertaken by hundreds of people, and holds religious significance to Hindus as well as Jains and Buddhists.
A total of 10 batches are likely to undertake the yatra through the Nathu La Pass spread over 21 days for each batch. The estimated expense for each person is ₹2.83 lakh. The first batch of pilgrims will depart from Delhi on June 15 and cross through the Nathu La border on June 20. The last batch will depart from Delhi on August 7 and cross through the border on August 12.
The Sikkim government has accelerated infrastructure development for the pilgrimage. Nathu La Pass is around 60 km from state capital Gangtok, and located under Bhutia's Kabi-Lungchok constituency.
Two acclimatisation centres are coming up to facilitate travel for yatris between Gangtok and Nathu La, while toilets, rest houses and other travel-related infrastructure are also being developed, officials said.
The acclimatisation facilities are required because of the freezing cold and thin air which can make people suffer from altitude sickness caused by the reduced air pressure and lower oxygen levels at higher altitudes.
The pilgrimage is open to Indian citizens, holding valid Indian passports. The government does not provide any subsidy or financial assistance to those undertaking the yatra.
Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) CEO Rajendra Chettri said the body is the nodal agency for organising the yatra. "The programme starts on June 11 and the first batch of yatris will accordingly leave for Delhi. The STDC will have a team in Delhi, where the devotees will be taken for a medical test to the ITBP camp from June 11 to 14. After that, their passports will be collected and application for visas will be submitted with the Chinse embassy," he said.
"The yatra falls in the TAR (Tibet Autonomous Region) and on June 15, the yatris will commence their journey and come to Bagdogra where an STDC team will receive them. We have been allotted buses, and two buses will be carrying approximately 15 yatris to Gangtok. They will be briefed in the evening," he added.
The yatra was suspended initially in 2020 because of Covid-19 and subsequently because of the military standoff between the two sides on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
