Kinnaur Kailash Yatra; Over 960 Pilgrims Begin Trek in Four Days

Punjab Newsline | Rampur Bushahr

The Kinnaur Kailash Yatra has emerged as one of the most sought-after pilgrimages this year, witnessing an overwhelming response from devotees. Since the official commencement of the yatra on July 30, more than 960 pilgrims have set out for the sacred Kinnaur Kailash in just four days.

On Sunday alone, 352 pilgrims began the arduous trek from the Tangling Base Camp, highlighting the growing enthusiasm among devotees for the annual pilgrimage.

The demand for online registration slots has been exceptionally high. All slots available up to August 4 were booked within a few hours of the portal opening on July 28. The administration reopened online registration for the period August 5 to August 10 on Sunday, but all available slots were filled within two-and-a-half hours. Currently, 175 online slots are being allotted every day.

Pilgrims who could not secure online registration can still undertake the journey through offline registration at Tangling Base Camp. The administration has made it clear that registration is mandatory for all participants. After registration, pilgrims must also obtain a token from Tangling Base Camp. Those arriving at the Ganesh Bagh secondary base camp without a valid token are being sent back.

Officials said that some leniency was shown during the initial days of the yatra, but strict enforcement of the rules is now in place. Pilgrims are allowed to leave Tangling Base Camp for the trek only until 1 pm.

Many devotees are resting at the Ganesh Bagh secondary base camp, from where they are being sent towards the Shivling site between 2 am and 4 am. The early-morning departure enables pilgrims to have darshan of the sacred Shivling and return to Ganesh Bagh by afternoon.

Praveen Bhardwaj, Chairman of the Yatra Committee and SDM Kalpa, confirmed that all online slots have been fully booked. He urged devotees who were unable to register online to take advantage of the offline registration facility.

Kinnaur Kailash Yatra holds immense religious significance for devotees of Lord Shiva and is also providing a substantial boost to tourism and local economic activity in the Kinnaur region of Himachal Pradesh.