HUMLA: The arrival of Indian religious pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar has begun with the onset of the pilgrimage season, with 169 visitors recorded in the past four days.
Pilgrims are reaching the region via flights from Nepalgunj to Simkot and onward to Hilsa, which serves as a gateway to the pilgrimage site in China.
According to Simkot Airport Chief Mahendra Singh, of the arrivals since May 13, 147 are Indian nationals and 22 are from other countries. Despite challenging weather conditions, 47 pilgrims reached Simkot on a Summit Air flight that operated three trips on Saturday.
However, some travellers were unable to continue their journey to Kailash Mansarovar due to a lack of required permits.
Officials expect the number of pilgrims to increase in the coming days, as interest in the pilgrimage continues to grow following the reopening of the Hilsa route after COVID-19 restrictions.
Last year, around 6,500 Indian pilgrims travelled through the route after China reopened access. This year’s arrivals began on May 13, marking the start of the new pilgrimage season.
Comment