Kailash Mansarovar yatra begins

The annual pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar began with first batch of 49 members reaching Almora after leaving New Delhi on Tuesday morning, official sources said today. The batch, which includes eight women pilgrims, was flagged off by Surendra Singh Jeena, chairman of Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), the nodal agency for yatra arrangement in New Delhi, said Ashok Joshi, general manager (tourism) KMVN. Later, the batch reached Almora in the evening, he added. The batch started its journey to base camp of Dharchula onJune 2, Joshi said.

The motor road upto Mangti, from where 70 km long trek for 5334-meter high Lipu-Lekh pass starts, is being cleared of mild landslides that hit the area recently, said an official of ITBP, which takes charge of yatra after Gunji camp. He said the ITBP has not only deputed a team of three doctors for medical check up but also deployed 45 member disaster mitigation team at disaster-prone areas.

The 644-km long pilgrimage passes through five camps that include Gala (2018 mt), Bundi (2740 mt), Gunji (3300 mt), Kalapani (3370 mt) and Nabhidhang (3370 mt) before crossing Lipu-Lekh pass. The yatra concludes in Tibet where the pilgrims take holy dip in the Mansarovar lake and undertake parikrama of Mount Kailash.