Garhwal Post Bureau
Badrinath, 16 Sep: The Shri Devtal–Mana Pass Lok Yatra, a pilgrimage to the high Himalayan region along the India–Tibet (China) border, will be held on Thursday on the auspicious occasion of Kanya Sankranti.
Devtal is situated approximately 55 km from Badrinath Dham at an altitude of around 18,500 feet above sea level. Pilgrims participating in the yatra have already reached Badrinath.
The pilgrimage was initiated in 2015 following sustained efforts by former Cabinet Minister, the late Mohan Singh Rawat ‘Gaonwasi’. This year’s yatra will be led by Ram Chandra Gaud, Chairman of the Uttarakhand Senior Citizens’ Welfare Council, holding the status of a Minister of State.
Located in the high Himalayan region of Chamoli district, Devtal Sarovar is regarded as a place of great religious and cultural significance. Situated close to the Mana Pass and the India–China border, the sacred lake is believed, according to local religious tradition, to be a place where the gods bathe. The area is also the origin of the sacred Saraswati River.
Prof (Dr) Subhash Chandra Thaledi, Convener of the yatra, said that the Chamoli district administration has issued Inner Line Permits(ILP) for around 18 pilgrims for this year’s journey. He said that the border region had remained closed to civilian movement after the 1962 India–China war. Following the sustained efforts of the late Mohan Singh Rawat ‘Gaonwasi’, the pilgrimage was revived in 2015 with permission from the district administration and the Indian Army, initially with a limited number of pilgrims. Since then, the yatra has been organised annually.
According to Prof Thaledi, this year’s yatra is being organised on 17 September 2026, corresponding to Kanya Sankranti and the sixth–seventh days of the Shukla Paksha of the month of Bhadrapada in Vikram Samvat 2083.
The pilgrims and co-travellers, including Neeraj Naithani, Rajesh Namburi, Rajesh Jain, Rajendra Kapruwan, Madhuri Naithani, Naresh Nautiyal, Devendra Uniyal, Raksha Uniyal and Renu Nautiyal, have expressed enthusiasm about participating in the traditional pilgrimage.
The yatra seeks to preserve and highlight the religious traditions, folk heritage and cultural significance of the high Himalayan and border region.
