Kailash Mansarovar Yatra set to resume after pandemic pause

India and China are set to resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a sacred pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, after a pause since 2020.

Though a final route has not been officially announced, India is considering conducting the yatra primarily through the Delhi-Pithoragarh-Lipulekh pass route that goes through the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand, sources said. The Lipulekh pass route would be quicker and more cost-effective for pilgrims.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday confirmed that preparations were underway and a public notice would be issued soon. The Yatra was expected to run from June to September.

“We are making preparations and will soon issue a public notice regarding the yatra. There is a possibility of its resumption soon,” Jaiswal said, offering hope to thousands of devotees awaiting the reopening of the sacred pilgrimage route.

The yatra has remained suspended since the Covid pandemic and the subsequent military stand-off in eastern Ladakh from April 2020 onwards.

Both countries have agreed in principle to resume direct air services, with technical teams discussing the modalities. Jaiswal stated that during Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to Beijing in January, both nations discussed resuming direct flights.