Rahul Gandhi begins Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage with an overnight stay in Lhasa

DHARAMSALA, Sept 3: Congress president Rahul Gandhi is in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet to start his 12-day Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

Rahul Gandhi flew from Kathmandu to Lhasa in a regular Air China flight on Saturday. He was accompanied by two plain-clothed security personnel, reports Hindustan Times.

The Congress chief, 48, made an overnight stopover in Lhasa, before leaving for Mount Kailash on Sunday, but it is not known whether he will travel by road or take a flight as Mt Kailash is about 2000 kilometres drive from Lhasa, the report added.

According to the report, the Congress chief has long expressed his wish to undertake the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after a technical snag led to his plane plunging hundreds of feet on April 26 when he was on his way to campaign in the Karnataka assembly polls.

The 21778 feet tall majestic peak in Tibet and the Mansarovar lake have religious significance to the followers of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism people.

The pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash (Tib: Gang Rinpoche) and Mansarovar lake (Tib: Mapham Youtso) is organised every year between June and September through Nathu La pass in Sikkim and Lipulekh pass in Uttarakhand