Last group of devotees return from Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

Pithoragarh, Aug 22 (PTI) The fifth and last group of devotees who went on Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Lipulekh Pass located in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district returned on Friday after completing their journey, officials said.

Dharchula Sub-Divisional Magistrate Jitendra Verma said the group returned to Lipulekh Pass at 9.30 am where its members were warmly welcomed by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel.

Dhan Singh, in-charge of Dharchula base camp of Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam, the nodal agency of the Yatra, said that the group has reached Dharchula base camp where it will rest for the night.

The Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, which was closed through Lipulekh Pass in 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, started on June 30, after a gap of five years.

Singh said that these devotees will reach New Delhi from Dharchula via Chaukri, Patal Bhuvneshwar, Kausani and Almora where the yatra will be declared over.

Pithoragarh District Magistrate Vinod Goswami said that this year a total of 237 devotees went on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Lipulekh pass, out of which 171 were men and 66 women.

He said, “These devotees who went in five groups successfully completed their journey with the help of Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam, ITBP and state government officials.” PTI DPT NB NB