Winter Closure for Adi Kailash Pilgrimage: A Seasonal Suspension

The annual Adi Kailash pilgrimage in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district will be suspended this winter due to harsh weather conditions. The issuance of Inner Line Permits (ILP) will stop from December 1. The decision was influenced by the frozen lakes and impassable roads. Local migration and decreased ILP applications are noted.

The iconic Adi Kailash pilgrimage in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district is set to be suspended during this winter season, an official disclosed on Friday. The issuance of Inner Line Permits (ILP), mandatory for pilgrims, will cease as of December 1, according to Dharchula Sub-Divisional Magistrate Jitendra Verma.

Verma cited reports from the Border Roads Organisation indicating that lakes around Adi Kailash have started to freeze, causing roads to become impassable. As a result, a decision to pause the pilgrimage was made. Local villagers are already migrating to lower valleys due to the intense cold, and the number of ILP applications has significantly dwindled, he further explained.

The Adi Kailash Yatra, which gained momentum following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in 2023, saw its visitor numbers skyrocket from around 2,000 annually to 28,000 last year, and 36,461 this year. The recent construction of a motorable road by the Border Roads Organisation has made the pilgrimage far more accessible.

(With inputs from agencies.)