Kailash Manasarovar Yatra 2004

The Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is being organised by the Ministry of External Affairs from June to September 2004. The Yatra is open to all Indian citizens above 18 years of age who wish to proceed to Kailash Manasarovar for religious purposes. As the applications for the Yatra far exceed capacity, those who have undertaken the pilgrimage earlier, either as a liaison officer or as a Yatri will not be considered.

2. The duration of the Yatra will be 27 days. In addition, Yatris will need to spend four days in New Delhi to obtain visas, undergo a comprehensive medical examination and complete financial formalities.

3. In 2004, it is planned to send 16 batches, consisting of a maximum of 44 pilgrims each. The fist batch is expected to depart from New Delhi in the last week of May/first week of June 2004. The Yatra is expected to continue till the end of September 2004. The last batch is expected to depart in end of August/beginning of September 2004.

4. Applicants should ensure that they possess an Indian passport valid for more than six months.

5. The total cost of the Yatra will include the following:

• Rs 14,000 to be paid to the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam, out of which Rs 5,000, is to be paid as a non-refundable deposit when confirming participation in the Yatra, and the rest paid on arrival in Delhi to begin the Yatra.
• Rs 2,316 to be paid to the Indo Tibetan Border Police to cover costs of medical examination/tests at Delhi, which is also non-refundable.
• US$ 600 to be paid to the Chinese side.
• Expenditure on adequate equipment, clothing, food stores, porters, baggage, ponies and other items required for the Yatra (a detailed list of minimum requirements will be sent to selected Yatris).

6. The Yatra is extremely arduous (more so than the Vaishnodevi/Amarnath routes), involves trekking at high altitudes up to 19,500 feet, under inhospitable conditions including extreme cold and rugged terrain and may prove hazardous for those who are not physically or medically fit. The Indian Mountaineering Foundation has recognised the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra as a trekking expedition. There is a considerable element of risk to life and property.

7. Please note that the Government of India shall not be responsible in any manner for any loss of life or injury to the person, or any loss or damage to the property of the Yatris due to any natural calamity or due to any other reason. Pilgrims undertake the Yatra at their own volition, cost, risk and consequences.

8. Applicants should be in good physical health, medically fit and should not suffer from conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, heart disease, epilepsy, etc. All selected applicants are required to undergo a comprehensive medical examination conducted by the ITBP in New Delhi. Applicants found medically unfit will not be allowed to proceed on the Yatra, and will forfeit the non-refundable deposit paid to KMVN and the amount paid to ITBP. Please note that no other medical certificates or test reports will be accepted.

9. A second medical test to ascertain reactions to attitude trekking will be done by the ITBP at Gunji, after six days of the Yatra, at a height of 3,500 metres. Those Yatris who are found medically unfit here will not be permitted to continue the Yatra. The finding and the recommendations of the ITBP medical personnel both in Delhi and Gunji will be final and binding. In the eventuality of a Yatri being disqualified on medical grounds at Gunji, it will not be possible to refund the charges levied by the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam.

10. Complete applications in the prescribed format given below should be sent to Under Secretary (China), Room 271 (A), South Block, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi 110 011 latest by March 18, 2004. For acknowledgement of receipt, please attach a self-addressed post card with the application.

11. The selection of yatris will be done by the Ministry of External Affairs through a computer generated random gender balanced selection process. Selected persons will be informed telegraphically about their inclusion in a particular batch three or four weeks before their scheduled departure. Selected applicants will be required to confirm their participation in a particular batch by sending a non-refundable demand draft of Rs 5,000 in favour of KMVN to the Ministry of External Affairs by a specific deadline.

12. The following conditions may please be noted carefully:

• Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is an individual pilgrimage. Where immediate family members happen to be selected in the computerised random selection process, there is no guarantee that they will be accommodated in the same batch. 
• It is the individual's responsibility to ensure that applications contain accurate information and that they are complete in every detail.
• Incomplete applications will be rejected and will not be processed. 
• If it is found that wrong information has been given in the application form, especially regarding prior participation in the Yatra, this will be ground for disqualification, even after selection has been confirmed/Yatra has begun. If disqualified on this ground after selection, non-refundable deposit paid to the KMVN will be forfeited. 
• After receiving the telegram announcing the preliminary selection, confirmation that the selected Yatri can travel should be received at the Ministry of External Affairs before the stated deadline, otherwise it will be presumed that the selected Yatri cannot travel, and s/he will be replaced from the stand-by list. 
• Requests for change of batch will not be entertained.
• Failure to pass the medical examination at Delhi and Gunji will not be accepted. 
• If a Yatri is disqualified on medical grounds at Delhi, s/he will forfeit the non-refundable deposit paid to the KMVN. If a Yatri is disqualified on medical grounds at Gunji, s/he will forfeit the total amount paid as Yatra fees to the KMVN. 
• Yatris disqualified on medical grounds in Delhi will be replaced by Yatris from the stand-by list in the order of computer selection process. 
• It will not be possible to replace Yatris who are disqualified at Gunji.
• The Yatra groups will leave on the scheduled dates even if replacements called from the stand-by lists to fill any vacancies that may arise are unable to join the group in time.

Details on the Yatra may also be had at www.kmvn.org

Medical tests:

1.HB. 2. TLC 3. DLC 4. ESR 5. Urine RE 6. Blood Sugar F & PP 7. Blood Urea 8. Creatinine 9. Serum Bilurubin 10. Chest X-Ray 11. Blood Group with RH Factor 12. TMT 13. Lipid Profile 14. ECG

Format for Applying for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra 2004

Name (As in Passport):

Father's/Husband's Name

Date of birth:

Religion:

Profession:

Sex:                 Male/Female

Passport No:

(Please enclose copy of personal particulars page of your passport)

Date of Issue:

Place of Issue:

Full Address of Applicant:

(Name, Address Tel No (with STD Code)/Fax No, e-mail if any)

Experience of High Altitude Trekking:

Any First Aid Experience/Medical Experience:

Have you been on the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra before as a Liaison Officer or a Yatri (if yes, indicate the year, name under which traveled and Passport No)

Declarations:

1. I understand that the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is a high altitude trekking expedition under inhospitable conditions, which may, involve serious risk to the person or property of the Yatris. I am undertaking the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra at my own volition, cost, risk and consequences.

2. I understand that my application will be rejected and not processed if any column is not filled in or if it is incomplete in any other respect.

3. I understand that if I have given wrong information in my application, this will be grounds for disqualification from the Yatra and for forfeiture of non-refundable deposit paid to the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam.

4. I understand that the decision of the ITBP medical authorities in either Delhi or Gunji is final and cannot be challenged, that in the event of my being disqualified on medical grounds by the competent medical authorities in Delhi, I will forfeit the non-refundable deposit paid to the KMVN, and that in the event of my being disqualified on medical grounds by the competent medical authorities at Gunji, I will forfeit the entire amount paid to the KMVN as Yatra charges and I shall not claim any refund thereof.

Date:

Signature:

Place:

Note: For acknowledgement please attach a self-addressed post card.

Applications should reach Under Secretary (China), Room 271 (A), South Block, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi 110011 latest by Friday, March 18, 2004.

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