Indian pilgrimages to Xizang resume after hiatus

A group of 39 Indians recently completed a 12-day pilgrimage in the Xizang autonomous region, marking the resumption of pilgrimages to Mount Gang Rinpoche and Lake Mapam Yumco after a five-year hiatus.

Mount Gang Rinpoche and Lake Mapam Yumco are considered sacred by believers of several religions, including Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism.

The group entered the region via the Nathu La Pass in Dromo county of Shigatse on June 20.

Nathu La Pass, which is more than 4,000 meters above sea level between Xizang's Dromo county and India's northeastern state of Sikkim, is a major passageway for pilgrims in the region.

Shalendar Sharma, one of the 39, said that he was grateful for the joint efforts made by the Chinese and Indian governments to facilitate the pilgrimage. For him, it was a serene, humbling and devout experience.

Another pilgrim, Pradanya Ketkar, said that her group completed the journey around Mount Gang Rinpoche on foot and took a bus to complete the circuit around Lake Mapam Yumco.

"Our pilgrimage journey was more comfortable and convenient," said Meghna Bhujiya. "Some pilgrims in our group visited the sites many years ago and say the facilities along the way have significantly improved."

Liu Lin, deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Xizang autonomous region, said that cultural and people-to-people exchanges are a direct manifestation of friendly exchanges between China and India.

"China has a saying that goes, 'A distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor'," said Liu.

The resumption of official Indian pilgrimages in Xizang is an arrangement made by the Chinese side to show goodwill toward the Indian people and respect for their religious beliefs, as well as a positive signal from both sides regarding the improvement of China-India relations, he said.

"China has invested significant manpower, material resources and financial resources to improve and maintain the pilgrimage routes and facilities, overcoming significant logistical and security pressures, demonstrating goodwill toward the Indian people," he added.

On April 28, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun announced the resumption of Indian pilgrimages to the two sites in Xizang under a bilateral agreement. The pilgrimages had been suspended since 2020.

Noting that this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and India, Guo said that China stands ready to work with India to earnestly implement the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries and to advance China-India relations on the track of sound and stable development.