ChampawatPithoragarh: Flagging off the first batch of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via the Lipulekh Pass from Tanakpur in Champawat Sunday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the pilgrimage is a symbol of spiritual consciousness and national harmony.
Amidst chants of Har-Har Mahadev, welcoming them by presenting Rudraksh rosaries and patkas (ceremonial scarves) dedicated to Lord Shiva, Dhami interacted with the pilgrims and wished them a safe and auspicious journey, officials said.
According to the officials, the first batch of 49 pilgrims, including a doctor, comprising 34 men and 15 women, had arrived in Tanakpur from Delhi Saturday evening.
The annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra taking place via two routes — Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim — holds religious significance to Hindus as well as Jains and Buddhists.
The pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region resumed last year after a gap of nearly five years as part of efforts to normalise the relations between India and China.
Dhami remarked that it is only through the grace of Lord Bholenath that pilgrims get the opportunity to undertake this sacred journey.
Urging the pilgrims to strengthen the local economy by purchasing local handicrafts and products, Dhami noted that it connects people across the country with the rich culture, traditions, and local way of life of the border villages.
Earlier, upon their arrival in Tanakpur, the pilgrims were welcomed with the traditional Chholiya dance, a shower of flower petals, and garlands.
Manoj Kumar, Manager of the Sharda Tourist Rest House in Tanakpur, said that the first group consists of 49 pilgrims, including a doctor, comprising 34 men and 15 women. He mentioned that the group includes pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
Purushottam Khandelwal, a 68-year-old pilgrim from Rajasthan, is the oldest member of the group, while 21-year-old Harikrishna from Gujarat is the youngest.
The group of pilgrims will travel from Tanakpur and arrive at the base camp in Dharchula, Pithoragarh district, Sunday evening and after an overnight stay, they will depart for the next halt, Gunji, on Monday morning.
The Yatra is being conducted via the Tanakpur route for the second consecutive year. This route is more accessible than the previous one. Previously, pilgrims would travel from Delhi to Haldwani and then reach Dharchula via Almora and Pithoragarh.
Pithoragarh District Magistrate Ashish Bhatgain said that all preparations regarding food, accommodation, health check-ups, and security for the pilgrims during the journey have been completed.
According to the itinerary prepared by the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) — the nodal agency for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra — the first batch of pilgrims will cross the Lipulekh Pass to reach Tibet July 10. After viewing Mount Kailash and completing the circumambulation of Lake Mansarovar, they will return to India July 18.
