Adi Kailash, located in Uttarakhand, is among the holiest sites for Hindus, and the route once included a long stretch that could only be covered on foot. And it used to take days. But with the construction of a motorable road to Lipulekh, the pilgrimage is set to become easier.
NDTV visited Lipulekh Pass, Dharchula and Adi Kailash ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Uttarakhand tomorrow. Next to Lipulekh is the India-Nepal-Tibet border and the area beyond that is not accessible to civilians. From here, one can catch a glimpse of Mount Kailash.
Adi Kailash, about 5,945 metres tall, is in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. The route to both Kailash Mansarovar and Adi Kailash passes from Dharchula, but they separate from Gunji. While Adi Kailash is in India, Kailash Mansarovar is situated in Tibet, which China claims as its own territory. Currently, Kailash Mansarovar yatra remains suspended due to multiple factors.
The stretch from Dharchula to Tawaghat can be covered by road. The next mountainous stretch, which could earlier be covered only on foot and take around 8-10 days to cover, can now be covered by car. The road not only makes it easy for the pilgrims, but also opening employment opportunities for the locals.
Jolikong, near Adi Kailash, has a base camp of the Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). About 40 km from here is the border between India, Tibet and Nepal. This is till where civilians are allowed. Jolikong has very few hotels.
Adi Kailash is believed to be the mountain where Shiva and Parvati had halted while going to take Samadhi on the Mount Kailash. Even today, the locals believe there is a belief that there is a Parvati temple where she had taken bath. A pond remains symbolic of the mythological belief.
PM Modi will visit the Adi Kailash temple and offer prayers on Thursday morning. He will also interact with the villagers in Gunji and offer prayers at Jageshwar temple in Almora district around noon. Later in the day, he will lay the foundation stones for several developmental projects in the state.
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