Mansarovar yatra to begin June 30; 10 batches of 50 pilgrims to travel via Lipulekh

Pithoragarh: Kailash Mansarovar yatra will begin on June 30 via Lipulekh Pass, with 10 batches of 50 pilgrims each undertaking the journey to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar this year, officials said. The pilgrimage, organised by Union ministry of external affairs with Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) as the nodal agency, will expand from five batches last year to 10.Officials confirmed the schedule after a meeting in Delhi on Monday, attended by representatives from various departments, including Dharchula sub-divisional magistrate Ashish Joshi. “This year, 10 batches of 50 pilgrims each will undertake Kailash Mansarovar yatra through Lipulekh at an altitude of 17,000ft,” Pithoragarh district magistrate Ashish Kumar Batgai said.KMVN manager Vijay Nath Shukla said the pilgrimage would run for 22 days and conclude in Delhi on Aug 26. “Pilgrims will spend four days in Delhi for visa processing, fee collection, medical examinations and ministry briefings before moving to Gunji for acclimatisation. The groups will spend nine days in Tibet, where they’ll visit Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar,” he added.The pilgrimage, revered across Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Bon traditions, resumed last year after a five-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.