Shimla, 30 July (H.S.): The famous Kinnaur Kailash Yatra-2026 in Himachal Pradesh officially began on Thursday. The sacred pilgrimage, held during the holy month of Sawan, will continue until August 10. The district administration has claimed that all necessary arrangements have been completed ahead of the yatra. Authorities said special attention is being given to the safety of devotees, healthcare facilities and cleanliness during the pilgrimage. The duration of the yatra may be modified if required, depending on weather conditions. Cloudy weather conditions prevailed in Kinnaur and surrounding areas on Thursday.

The chairman of the Yatra Committee and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Kalpa, Praveen Kumar Bhardwaj, said the decision to begin the pilgrimage was taken after the final recommendations of the reconnaissance team. Before the commencement of the yatra, the route was inspected in two phases. During the initial inspection, several locations were found vulnerable to landslides and falling rocks, due to which the decision to start the pilgrimage was temporarily postponed. Later, after completing safety measures and repair work at sensitive locations, permission was granted to resume the yatra. He said all concerned departments had already been instructed to complete the required arrangements.

According to the administration, a maximum of only 375 devotees will be allowed to undertake the pilgrimage every day this year. Of these, 175 devotees will be permitted through online registration, 125 through offline registration and 75 through the Adventure Tour Operators Association (OTA category). The online registration process has already started, while offline registration commenced with the beginning of the yatra. The administration has made it clear that no devotee without registration will be allowed to participate in the pilgrimage.

This year, the yatra is being conducted only through the Tangling–Meling Khatta–Cave route. Personnel from the police, health, forest, Home Guard, Jal Shakti and revenue departments have been deployed along the entire route. Doctors, pharmacists and police personnel will also be stationed at different points to ensure immediate assistance in case of emergencies.

SDM Praveen Kumar Bhardwaj said maintaining cleanliness during the pilgrimage would be a top priority. No devotee will be allowed to litter along the route. He appealed to pilgrims to undertake the journey only through authorised registration and follow all guidelines issued by the administration. He also advised devotees to check weather conditions before starting the pilgrimage and strictly follow safety precautions.

It is noteworthy that Kinnaur Kailash is located near the Tibet border at an altitude of around 6,050 metres above sea level. It is considered one of the Panch Kailash pilgrimage sites. Every year, a large number of devotees from different parts of the country visit the site to seek blessings of the naturally formed Shivling. According to religious beliefs, the place is associated with the first meeting of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Due to this deep faith, thousands of devotees undertake the challenging mountainous journey to Kinnaur Kailash every year during the month of Sawan.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar