Source: IE
Context: The Ministry of External Affairs announced the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in 2025 after a four-year suspension due to COVID-19 and border tensions.
About Kailash Mansarovar Yatra:
- What It Is?
- A sacred pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in the Ngari Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), China.
- Revered in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and the Bon religion.
- Believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva in Hindu mythology.
- Location:
- Lake Mansarovar: Freshwater Lake at an elevation of 4,600 metres.
- Mount Kailash: Sacred peak at 6,638 metres.
- Situated near the border of India, Nepal, and China.
- Routes for the Yatra:
- Lipulekh Pass Route (Uttarakhand)
- Nathu La Pass Route (Sikkim)
- Nepal Route (Via Nepalgunj)
- Importance of the Yatra:
- Religious Significance: Sacred pilgrimage offering darshan and circumambulation (parikrama) of Mount Kailash.
- Cultural Linkages: Enhances historical and spiritual ties between India, Tibet, and Nepal.
- Strategic Relevance: Boosts people-to-people contact and supports India’s border diplomacy.
- Tourism Potential: Promotes regional development through eco-spiritual tourism.
