Following a six-year wait, 36 pilgrims reach Mount Kailash and Mansarovar.

• A group of 36 Indian pilgrims conducted the Kailash Mansarovar yatra six years after its last.

• The yatra is the first of the people-to-people mechanisms between India and China to be restored after the COVID-19 pandemic and Line of Actual Control military stand-off.

• The yatra is expected to follow other mechanisms, including the restoration of direct flights, opening of visas and tourism routes, and resolving economic and business-related issues through a separate mechanism.

• The first batch included all ages from 18 to 69, and each group includes a doctor.

• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has partnered with the Chinese government to allow Indian cooks to travel ahead of the group and set up tents to provide them with familiar food.

• The group is one of 15 groups that are coming through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim and Lipulekh Pass, traversing over 3,000 km from Gangtok and back between June 15 and July 2.

• Chinese officials have worked on improving the efficiency of the immigration check point at Nathu La with biometrics, multilingual interpreters at different stages, oxygen facilities and special prayer areas at the sites.

• The sites are revered by Hindus and Buddhists, and the Chinese government decided in 2001-2002 to ban all attempts to climb Mount Kailash and visits to the Mansarovar lake.