Widow's act of love, adventure lover's high — first batch ready as Kailash yatra resumes
Among the first batch of travellers to Kailash Mansarovar, the Gujarat resident decided to undertake the pilgrimage — resuming after a pause of five years as India-China relations went through turbulence — in memory of her husband, who passed away in 2020 during Covid.
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"We went on every yatra together, and Kailash was our shared dream," she said. The couple visited Char Dham, Rameshwaram, Vaishno Devi and eight Jyotirlingams together.
Also part of the first batch is a couple from Maharashtra, 61-year-old Deviprasad Chandrakant Ketkar and his wife Pradnya. For Deviprasad, a retired aviation engineer and adventure enthusiast who has biked across Ladakh, the
is another high-altitude challenge.
Pradnya, however, sees it differently. A devout follower of Shiva, this is the ultimate spiritual journey for her.
"It's the ultimate trek. I have been yearning to visit Tibet for the last 15 years and could never put together enough money for an expedition. This pilgrimage gives me a chance to go to the other side and experience adventure in divinity," Deviprasad said.
A total 750 travellers are to take the yatra in batches of 50 till Aug 25 via two different routes.
Ten batches will proceed via the Sikkim route through Nathu La Pass, and five through Uttarakhand's Lipulekh Pass.
On Wednesday, marigolds, bhajans and a video montage of previous yatras welcomed the first batch of 50 pilgrims as they arrived at Kailash Mansarovar Bhavan here, the centre from where the yatra officially begins for Indian pilgrims. After completing visa paperwork and medical tests over the next four days, one group of travellers will leave for Gangtok on June 15, by air from T3 at IGI Airport.
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After a journey of 10 days via Nathu La Pass, they will reach Kailash Mansarovar base Darchen, following which they will embark on a 12 km trek via Yamdwar, and a 19 km circumambulating trek via Dolma La Pass. On Day 12, they will be taken via bus to Mansarovar lake, 80 km from their halting place at Darchen, the base of Mount Kailash. On Day 13, the group will start its return journey.
Pilgrims who are to take the Uttarakhand route will depart for Tanakpur by bus later this month.
Over the next week, they will ascend through the Himalayas, reaching Taklakot in Tibet via the high-altitude Lipulekh pass on Day 7. By Day 9, they arrive at Darchen and begin the circumambulation from Yamdwar on Day 10. On Day 12, pilgrims visit Mansarovar Lake at Qugu. The descent to Taklakot begins on Day 14.
Rajindra Kumar Gupta (68) and his wife Rani (63), who finally began their Kailash yatra, boarding an overnight train from Chitrakoot to reach Ghaziabad, said they have waited to undertake the journey for a decade.
"Since 2020, we have been getting anxious as we are getting older. Now, it feels like I can finally tick it off my bucket list," Rajindra said.
Among the youngest pilgrims is 21-year-old gemologist Utkarsh Bhujia from Lucknow, accompanying his mother Megha. "My father did the yatra in 2017, and ever since, it's been a dream," Utkarsh said. "When I asked my son to come with me, he agreed instantly," Megha added.
A 66-year-old astrologer from Jamnagar said he spent years saving for the pilgrimage.
"The energy at Kailash is transformative," he said. "I believe it gives you a new life."
The Kailash Mansarovar Bhawan, which was completed in 2020, is being used for the first time to provide accommodation to pilgrims as the complete formalities before the yatra. "Before this, Delhi govt would rent Gujarat Bhawan for pilgrims," said Uday Kaushik of Kailash Mansarovar Nishkam Seva Samiti, a voluntary organisation that is helping with arrangements at the Indirapuram facility.
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