Imagine this.
You've waited years for the journey of a lifetime.
The sacred trek to Kailash Mansarovar — the abode of Lord Shiva. 🕉️
You've packed. You've prayed. You've boarded the flight.
And then…
you're stuck in a hotel lobby in Kathmandu, refreshing your phone, wondering if you'll ever cross the border.
That's the reality for 52 Indian pilgrims right now.
Stranded. Mid-yatra. In Nepal.
The alarm was raised by NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule on Saturday.
She didn't mince words.
In a public post tagging Dr S Jaishankar, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, and the Embassy in Beijing — she asked for one thing.
👉 Get them moving. Safely. Now.
Kailash Mansarovar isn't just a trip. It's the pilgrimage.
Sacred to three faiths at once:
🕉️ Hindus — the home of Shiva
☸️ Buddhists — a cosmic centre
🙏 Jains — where Rishabhadeva attained moksha
And here's the twist that makes 2026 emotional…
The yatra was suspended for FIVE years — frozen by COVID and the India-China standoff.
It only resumed in 2025.
The MEA runs the yatra every year from June to September through:
⛰️ Lipulekh Pass — Uttarakhand
🏔️ Nathu La Pass — Sikkim
On June 20, Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur flagged off the first 2026 batch through Nathu La. Smiles. Garlands. Cameras.
"There were misunderstandings earlier," he said, "but they realised the need to normalise relations."
Ten groups are expected this season. Just like last year.
Many pilgrims skip the government route and go privately — flying to Kathmandu, then onward via Simikot and Hilsa into Tibet.
Cheaper. Faster. Usually.
Until the weather turns. Or paperwork jams. Or Chinese permits hit a wall.
And suddenly 52 devotees are sitting in a Kathmandu hotel — luggage packed, visas ticking, faith intact.
This isn't Sule's first rescue ping.
Back in April, she pushed the MEA to bring home 41 Indians stranded in Riyadh after an Akasa Air mess. The embassy moved.
The pattern is clear.
In 2026, the journey of a lifetime can still be derailed by a permit, a politician, or a paperwork glitch.
Faith books the ticket.
But diplomacy gets you home.
That's all for now!
