India Announces 20 Batches for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Through Tibet Routes

India has selected 1,000 pilgrims for the 2026 Kailash Mansarovar Yatra , signalling the continued revival of one of the country’s most sacred cross-border pilgrimages after years of disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and India-China military tensions.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday conducted the computerised draw of lots to finalise the pilgrims who will undertake the pilgrimage between June and August 2026 through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim. The Ministry of External Affairs ( MEA ) said the selection process was conducted through a fair, random and gender-balanced computer-generated system.

According to the MEA, the selected pilgrims will travel in 20 batches of 50 yatris each , with ten batches travelling through Lipulekh and the remaining ten through Nathu La. Authorities said both routes are now largely fully motorable , significantly reducing the physically demanding trekking portions that once defined the Yatra.

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is regarded as one of the holiest pilgrimages in Asia and carries immense spiritual significance for Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and followers of the Bon faith . Located in Tibet Autonomous Region of China, Mount Kailash is revered by Hindus as the abode of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati , while the sacred Lake Mansarovar is believed to purify sins and guide devotees toward spiritual liberation.

For Buddhists, the mountain is associated with Mount Meru , considered the cosmic centre of the universe, while Jains believe the first Tirthankara, Rishabhdev , attained liberation near Kailash. Followers of the Bon religion also regard the mountain as their holiest spiritual centre.

Despite improved infrastructure, the pilgrimage remains physically challenging. Pilgrims undertaking the sacred Kailash Parikrama traverse high-altitude terrain crossing more than 5,600 metres near the Dolma La Pass.

Religious scholars and Tibetan traditions also consider 2026 especially auspicious as it falls in the Tibetan “Year of the Horse” , believed to multiply the spiritual merit of completing the pilgrimage.

The Yatra resumed last year after remaining suspended since 2020 due to the pandemic and the military standoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Its revival is being viewed as part of broader efforts by New Delhi and Beijing to stabilise ties and restore people-to-people exchanges.

The pilgrimage has also sparked diplomatic friction with Nepal, which recently objected to the use of the Lipulekh route, claiming the region falls within its territory. India rejected Kathmandu’s objection, asserting that the pass has historically been used for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage for decades.