Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Faces Setback: China Denies Access to Nearly 50,000 Indian Pilgrims
China Blocks Entry for 50,000 Indian Pilgrims to Mt. Kailash-Lake Mansarovar Yatra, Redirecting Devotees to Nepal
In a recent report by kathmandupost.com on December 6, it was revealed that the Chinese government in the Tibet Autonomous Region imposed a ban on nearly 50,000 Indian pilgrims from participating in the Mt. Kailash-Lake Mansarovar Yatra this year. Strikingly, while visitors from all other countries were granted entry, Indian pilgrims were specifically denied access, prompting many to reroute their spiritual journeys through Nepal.
The months of May and June traditionally mark the Mt. Kailash-Lake Mansarovar Yatra, a sacred pilgrimage in western Tibet that draws pilgrims from India. Basu Adhikari, the managing director of Touch Kailash Travel and Treks, stated, “There were massive bookings, nearly 50,000, from Indian travelers for the yatra this year, but Chinese authorities denied access to them.”
According to tour operators in Nepal, Beijing implemented numerous restrictions, particularly targeting Indian travelers, making the pilgrimage arduous for them. Consequently, prospective Indian pilgrims were left with no alternative but to redirect their spiritual journeys to Nepal.
“Many Indians had booked the packages, and for most of them, there was no refund option, particularly for air tickets. So they decided to visit Nepal’s holy places,” explained Adhikari. This shift might be a key factor contributing to the surge in Indian travelers visiting Nepal.
Forced to explore Nepal’s sacred sites, such as Muktinath and Lumbini, on the same package, Indian pilgrims encountered a unique blend of cultural and spiritual experiences. Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha Shakyamuni, holds significance for both Hindus and Buddhists.
Muktinath, situated in the ethnically Tibetan region of Mustang in Nepal, near the Tibet border, had already gained popularity among Chinese visitors. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on May 12, 2018, the site became increasingly popular among Indian visitors as well.
Nepal Tourism Board data revealed a notable increase in Indian visitors, with 38,845 recorded in June and 36,575 in May. The surge in Indian tourists to Nepal during this period suggests a considerable impact on travel patterns due to the restrictions imposed by China on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
As uncertainty looms over the accessibility of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage for Indian visitors in the coming year, Adhikari expressed, “We are not sure about the new policy Beijing will introduce for Indian travelers in the next year. It will be known in January.”
The pilgrimage offers five routes to Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar for Indian pilgrims, with the Nepalgunj-Simikot-Hilsa-Mansarovar route being the shortest, affordable, and easy. Travelers typically fly from Nepalgunj to Simikot by fixed-wing aircraft and then proceed to Hilsa on the Tibet border via helicopter, as outlined in the report.
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