With the traditional Uttarakhand Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage route being vulnerable to natural disasters as it criss-crossess the same Himalayan landscape that has recently witnessed a devastating earthquake in Nepal, environment-friendly and safer fabricated huts will be set up for the first time along this Himalayan pilgrimage route in Pithoragarh for the pilgrims to stay in.
We would set up about 50 such fabricated huts along the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage route, said DK Sharma, divisional manager of the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) that looks after the hospitality aspect of the pilgrims. The fabricated huts are being set up in addition to our regular guest houses along this route that passes through the tougher Himalayan terrain in Pithoragarh, he added.
The decision of setting up of these fabricated huts is aimed at providing a safer pilgrimage in view of the 26-day-long pilgrimage via Pithoragarh remaining sensitive from natural disaster point of view, maintained the official. Meanwhile, preparations are going on in full swing to ensure a safe and comfortable Kailash-Mansarovar yatra via Uttarakhand this year too, said an official of KMVN.
Interestingly, though a new route to Tibet via Nathu-la pass for the pilgrimage has also been opened from this year, enthusiasm among the devotees to go on the Kailash- Mansarovar pilgrimage through the old Uttarakhand route is huge, the official said. As many as 18 batches — 60 pilgrims comprise each batch — would go on the holy Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage this year too like last year along the traditional route via Uttarakhand.
Earlier, only 16 batches of pilgrims used to go on this annual holy pilgrimage. But from 2013 onwards, the number got raised up to 18, keeping in view the rising enthusiasm among the people to participate. More so, the date on which the pilgrimage would start via Uttarakhand will also remain the same — June 12.
Earlier the pilgrimage used to commence from New Delhi on June 1. Mention worthy, as per the traditional route, the pilgrimage starts from New Delhi and continues through different hill spots like Almora, Dharchula, Narayan Ashram, Sirkha, Gala, Bundi, Gunji, Nabhidhang and lipupass on way to the holy shrine, Kailash-Mansarovar.