Sikkim Opens Sacred Gateway with Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur on June 20 flagged off the first batch of pilgrims for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026 through the Nathu La Pass . The contingent of 44 pilgrims, comprising 32 men and 12 women from states across India, entered Tibet after completing a four-day acclimatisation programme in Sikkim . The resumption of this sacred pilgrimage route, facilitated by cooperation between Indian and Chinese authorities, is of strategic importance for Sikkim‘s tourism economy . The event was attended by state Tourism Minister Tshering Thendup Bhutia, senior officials, and personnel of the Indian Army and ITBP . The pilgrimage route offers a comparatively accessible passage to the sacred Himalayan abode revered by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and followers of the Bon faith, representing a unique segment of India’s spiritual tourism ecosystem.