Pilgrims get first-ever view of Kailash peak from Indian territory

A view of the Mount Kailash from Old Lipulekh, Uttarakhand, on October 3, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Pilgrims on Thursday (October 3, 2024) had the first-ever view of the sacred Kailash peak, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, from the Old Lipulekh pass inside the Indian territory.

The Old Lipulekh pass is situated in the Vyas valley of Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand and it carries immense religious significance.

Earlier, pilgrims had to travel to Tibet Autonomous Region for a view of the peak. This is the first batch of pilgrims to view the Kailash peak from inside the Indian territory.

“The first batch of five pilgrims had a view of the peak from the Old Lipulekh pass. It was an emotionally overwhelming experience for them,” Pithoragarh’s District Tourist Officer Kriti Chandra Arya said.

They reached Gunji camp on Wednesday (October 2, 2024). They had to trek 2.5 km to the Old Lipulekh pass for a view of the peak, he said.

“All the five pilgrims were extremely excited and were in tears when they viewed the sacred Kailash peak from a point prepared at the Old Lipulekh pass for the purpose,” Mr. Arya who accompanied the pilgrims said.

The batch consisted of Neeraj and Mohini from Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal, Amandeep Kumar Jindal from Chandigarh, and Kewal Krishan and Narendra Kumar from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, he said.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami congratulated all the departments which made possible viewing of the Kailash peak from within the Indian territory. It reflects the commitment of the State Government, he said.

Now Shiva devotees need not wait for the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra and can pay obeisance to the deity from inside the Indian territory, the Chief Minister said.

Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj hailed the successful conduct of the first trip as a historic event for Shiva devotees.

The State Government is committed towards providing the pilgrims a unique and memorable experience, he said.

The trip was organised by the Uttarakhand Tourism Department as part of a pilot project with the traditional Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Tibet Autonomous Region remaining suspended for several years since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A few months ago, a team of officials from the Uttarakhand Tourism Department, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) discovered the point from where Mount Kailash is clearly visible.

Necessary preparations were made by the Uttarakhand Tourism Department to start a package tour covering ‘darshan’ of Mount Kailash, Adi Kailash and Om Parvat.

The package includes helicopter tickets from Pithoragarh to Gunji and back with accommodation at Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) or homestays.

The four nights and five days package costs ₹80,000 per tourist including GST and bookings can be made on KMVN website kmvn.in.