Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims upset over China’s mandatory common kitchen rule, ₹25,000 extra charge

Indian pilgrims travelling to the sacred Kailash Mansarovar via Nepal may have to bear additional expenses and restrictions after Chinese authorities made the use of a common kitchen mandatory for all yatris.

The move has triggered resentment among pilgrims and travel operators, who have raised the issue with the Prime Minister's Office seeking intervention.

The annual Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has already commenced, with an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 devotees from Gujarat undertaking the pilgrimage every year. Currently, the Kathmandu-based pilgrimage package costs around ₹2.40 lakh per person. During the peak season, hundreds of pilgrims reach key transit points and destinations simultaneously.

Common kitchen now compulsory

Under the new regulation introduced by the Chinese government, all pilgrims travelling through the Nepal route will be required to have their meals at a designated common kitchen facility. Travel operators said that until now, they had been able to provide customised food arrangements based on the needs and preferences of different groups of pilgrims.

Pilgrims from various states often prefer region-specific meals and follow religious dietary practices, including Jain and Swaminarayan food requirements. Many also require special meals due to age and health-related concerns. Travel operators fear the new system will make it difficult to cater to such individual needs.

Fears of delays and inconvenience

According to tour organisers, serving a large number of pilgrims from a single common kitchen could lead to delays in food distribution and operational challenges. They claim that pilgrims travelling through difficult terrain may be forced to wait for hours for meals, causing significant inconvenience during the physically demanding journey.

Operators also expressed concern that maintaining food quality and providing personalised services would become nearly impossible under the centralised arrangement.

₹25,000 additional burden per pilgrim

Apart from the mandatory common kitchen facility, pilgrims will reportedly have to pay an additional charge of up to ₹25,000 per person. Travel operators and devotees have termed the extra expense unreasonable, particularly at a time when travel and transportation costs have already increased significantly.

With the overall cost of the pilgrimage continuing to rise, stakeholders fear the sacred journey may become unaffordable for many middle-class devotees. Pilgrims and travel operators have urged the authorities to reconsider the decision and sought intervention from the Central government to address their concerns.