Gangtok, Jun 15 (PTI) The first batch of 44 pilgrims arrived here on Monday ahead of their scheduled onward journey to Kailash Mansarovar via Nathu La Pass on June 20, officials said.
The pilgrims were accorded a warm welcome at a local hotel by Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) chairman Lukendra Rasaily and deputy general manager Amit Kapil Chettri.
The first batch of pilgrims includes 44 people, including two liaison officers and one medical officer.
Among them are 32 male and 12 female pilgrims representing various states across the country, including Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha.
As part of the itinerary, the pilgrims will undergo
a four-day acclimatisation programme in Gangtok, 15th Mile and Sherathang in preparation for their pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar.
The pilgrims will proceed on June 20 through Gyangze, a town in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China that serves as a key transit point for pilgrims undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Nathu La Pass. PTI KDK RG
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