Increasing Arrival of Pilgrims in Humla for Mansarovar Kailash Pilgrimage

May 16, Humla – With the onset of the rainy season, the number of Indian religious tourists arriving in Simkot for the Mansarovar Kailash pilgrimage has significantly increased. Since the season began, pilgrims have been traveling from Nepalgunj by air to the district headquarters, Simkot, and then onward through Hilsa to visit Mansarovar Kailash in China. In just four days, 169 pilgrims have arrived in Simkot.

Mahendra Singh, the head of Simkot Airport, reported that since April 13, a total of 147 Indian pilgrims and 22 from other countries have reached Simkot. Despite challenging weather conditions, Summit Air operated three flights on Saturday alone, bringing 47 pilgrims to Simkot. Of these, 23 individuals lacked the permit required for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage and therefore had to stay in Simkot. As per the cabinet decision on March 4 and the public holidays on Saturday and Sunday, these 23 Indian pilgrims are residing in Simkot due to the absence of necessary permits.

Since the resumption of pilgrim arrivals for the Mansarovar Kailash pilgrimage, the four-day statistics indicate an upward trend. After the 2015 earthquake (Bikram Sambat 2072), Indian tourists began arriving through the Hilsa border. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of the Hilsa border, halting tourist movement. From last year onward, China permitted Indian pilgrims to travel to Mansarovar Kailash via the Hilsa border, resulting in approximately 6,500 Indian pilgrims completing the religious journey in four months of last year. This year, the first pilgrims arrived in Simkot on April 13.