First batch of Indian pilgrims visit Mansarovar after 2020, Pg10

Context: 

• The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra resumed in 2025 after a five-year suspension due to COVID-19 and India-China border tensions post-2020.

Key Highlights:

• The first batch of 36 Indian pilgrims reached Mansarovar Lake and performed the parikrama of Mount Kailash, completing an arduous 2,000 km journey.
• Pilgrims expressed a desire for increased annual slots, citing a spiritual and cultural urge for wider participation.
• This yatra is the first resumption of a people-to-people mechanism between India and China post the Galwan Valley standoff.

Detailed Insights:

• Mansarovar Lake is located at an altitude of 4,588 metres in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China and is considered sacred in Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist traditions.
• The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is a symbol of religious diplomacy and soft power, managed jointly by the Indian and Chinese foreign ministries since its formal opening in 1981.
• Parikrama (circumambulation) around Mount Kailash is about 52 km of rugged terrain, undertaken on foot; it is considered a path to moksha (liberation).
• In 2015, a second route via Nathu La Pass (Sikkim) was opened alongside the older Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) route to improve accessibility.
• The number of permitted yatris peaked at 1,364 in 2019, but dropped to 750 in 2025 due to bilateral tensions and post-pandemic restrictions.
• Out of ~5,000 applicants selected by computerised lottery, many fail the mandatory high-altitude medical screening, reducing actual batch size (first batch: 36 pilgrims).
• The Chinese government has imposed bathing restrictions in Mansarovar Lake citing “environmental protection”, limiting ritual practices.
• The revival of the yatra is a soft diplomatic signal amid ongoing tensions, restoring cultural and religious engagement between India and China.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Soft Power Diplomacy – is the practice of influencing other nations through attraction and persuasion—using culture, values, and policies—rather than coercion or force
• People-to-People Diplomacy – An important pillar of Track-II diplomacy aimed at maintaining peaceful engagement beyond official talks.