Well-equipped reception centres greet yatris on the arduous trek in Tibet

For Indian pilgrims on the difficult trek to the high altitude Kailash Manasarovar, the Hindu holy site in Tibet, things might have just got easier from this year.

Accommodation facilities, called reception centres, have been built at various points of the pilgrimage, thanks to an initiative by the Chinese government to improve the material comforts of the pilgrims undertaking the arduous journey.

The reception centres, each with about 150 beds, have rooms with charging points, a common kitchen and a common washroom, and provide food for the yatris. According to Awang Chering, Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ali Prefecture, all the four new reception centres have similar facilities.

“The Chinese government has spent 36.8 million RMBs ($5.21 million) in building these centres,” he said. While two are open this year, the other two will be open to yatris from 2020.

Prayer flags and Mount Kailash enroute Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. | Photo Credit: Radhika Santhanam

Jitendra Singh Rautala, 43, a pilgrim from Uttarakhand who has been on the yatra several times, said the new facilities are “great”.

“They have ensured that a difficult trek has been made easier and comfortable,” he said.

A private tour operator, who did not wish to be named, credited both the Indian and Chinese governments for this change. “Earlier yatris used to stay in tents; now they stay in buildings with attached bathrooms,” he said. “Even those aged 70 can now go on the yatra,” he said.

Besides the facilities that have already been made available, Mr. Awang said the government is planning to set up oxygen bars along the high altitude route. However, several pilgrims complained that the toilet facilities continue to be very poor. Vandana Neelkumar from Mumbai said inadequate toilet facilities inconvenienced women particularly.

On Monday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who is visiting Beijing, said after meeting his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, that both countries are considering expanding the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.

“Some suggestions were made by the Chinese side to expand Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and we are deeply appreciative of these initiatives,” Mr. Jaishankar said. Foreign Minister Wang said the pilgrimage has “increasingly become a pathway of friendship”.

Trekkers on the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra towards the end of the trek. | Photo Credit: Radhika Santhanam

The Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is important for Tibet, said Deputy General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Tibet Autonomous Region Sun Xiabo.

“We all understand the significance of providing better service for Indians, who undertake the pilgrimage in Tibet,” Mr. Sun said

“We will maintain this policy and do what we can to make Indians visiting Tibet feel at home,” he added.

Tibet can play an important role in promoting relations between China and India, Mr. Sun added. “China's relationship with India is on the priority of Chinese diplomacy and Tibet has a very long history of exchanges with India in terms of culture and religion,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Ali prefecture Ge Qingmin said while the Chinese government is committed to improving facilities for the yatris, there were some expectations from India too.

“We hope the yatris are always adequately prepared for the drastic climate conditions in Tibet. We hope they can come and leave in a healthy state. Two, we hope the Indian side can improve road conditions near Lipulekh Pass. The yatris travel four to five days to get to the Pass. If conditions are improved, their journey could be made less exhausting. And three, we hope that the yatris always abide by the laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China when they're in Tibet,” he said.

With inputs from Atul Aneja in Beijing

(The writer is in Tibet on the invitation of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China)