Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage Begins via Rasuwagadhi Border Point
Rasuwa, May 4: The annual pilgrimage to Lake Mansarovar and Mount Kailash in China has begun, with pilgrims travelling through the Rasuwagadhi transit point along the Nepal–China border.
According to the Immigration Office at Timure, around 300 pilgrims have departed for Mansarovar so far this season. Acting Chief Meghnath Sharma said the pilgrims include visitors from India, Russia and the United Kingdom. Last year, a total of 11,381 pilgrims travelled to Mansarovar and Kailash through the same route.
The increase in pilgrim movement has also boosted revenue collection. In the first nine months of the current fiscal year, the office collected Rs 3 million in revenue, compared to Rs 1.12 million collected during the entire previous fiscal year.
Mansarovar and Mount Kailash hold deep religious significance for followers of Hinduism, Buddhism, Bon and Jainism. In Hinduism, Mount Kailash is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and is regarded as a spiritual centre of the universe. Buddhists revere the site as a place of meditation and spiritual enlightenment.
In the Bon tradition, Kailash is considered the sacred dwelling of the Sky Goddess, while in Jainism, it is associated with the attainment of knowledge by the first Tirthankara, Rishabhadeva.
The Rasuwagadhi–Kerung route is regarded as the shortest land route from Nepal to Mansarovar. The journey covers around 135 kilometres from Kathmandu to Rasuwagadhi, 25 kilometres from Rasuwagadhi to Kerung, and another 750 to 800 kilometres from Kerung to Saga and Mansarovar. Pilgrims generally take three to four days to reach Mansarovar from Kerung, travelling through high mountainous terrain. The entire Kailash–Mansarovar pilgrimage usually takes 10 to 14 days.
Meanwhile, border identity cards are being issued to residents of Rasuwagadhi to facilitate movement between Rasuwagadhi and Kerung. According to Acting Chief Sharma, 596 new cards were distributed in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, bringing the total number of issued and renewed cards to 6,295.
(RSS)
