'We are so, so lucky': Dubai Indian expats recall close call during Kailash pilgrimage amid Nepal floods

Dubai-based Indian expats returning from the Mount Kailash pilgrimage narrowly avoided the Nepal border areas hit by deadly floods and landslides last week, with some later forced to take an emergency route after their planned journey home was disrupted.

Speaking to Gulf News, the pilgrims said they had crossed the Rasuwa-Timure-Kerung border region shortly before the disaster struck on August 26. The floods and landslides devastated parts of the area, leaving more than 1,100 people dead and over 4800 people missing.

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For the pilgrims, the disaster turned what had been a religious journey into an uncertain journey back to safety.

Pilgrims forced to change return route

Mohana Sowjanya, a Dubai homemaker, travelled with a group that entered Tibet after passing through Timure on August 17. Her group completed the three-day Kailash pilgrimage on August 26 and was scheduled to return through the same border crossing the next day.

By then, the route had been devastated.

"We are so, so lucky that we weren't there on the same day. It was all divine grace," Mohana told Gulf News.

With roads blocked by landslides, the group was stranded in Saga as operators and authorities looked for alternatives. Plans to fly from Lhasa or use helicopters were either impractical, too costly or affected by bad weather.

Chinese authorities later opened an emergency route normally used by the military, allowing the pilgrims to travel towards Nyalam.

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The journey remained difficult, with landslides and delays along the way. At one point, the vehicles could not continue and the pilgrims had to walk down a hillside carrying their luggage.

"We were stranded on the road for a long time. Then, at one point, there were landslides, so we couldn't go by vehicle. We took our luggage and descended the hill path," she said.

The group eventually reached Kathmandu late on August 28 and travelled onwards to India the next day.

Pilgrims learn of destruction on return

Another Dubai resident, Ena Banerji, was part of a 58-member group that included pilgrims from Dubai, India, Canada and Thailand.

Her group had crossed the Kerung border before the floods and was near Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar when members learnt about the disaster.

The group also had to spend an additional day in Saga before taking the alternative route approved by Chinese authorities.

The scale of the destruction became clear when they returned through the affected region. Banerji told Gulf News that a restaurant where the group had stopped on its way to Kailash had been flattened.

The group also learnt that its driver, Dev, had been swept away along with his vehicle.

“His name was Dev. He was no more. He was washed away. And we heard that the lady at the restaurant was also washed away. It was really shocking to us," Banerji said.

Dubai pilgrims advise caution

The experience has prompted the pilgrims to caution others planning the Kailash pilgrimage about travelling during the monsoon.

Mohana advised future pilgrims to avoid the monsoon period because of the higher risk of road disruptions and natural disasters.

"I would advise future pilgrims to avoid undertaking this kind of pilgrimage during the monsoon season. While we cannot prevent natural disasters, the risks and challenges are higher during the monsoon. Therefore, I feel it is better to make the journey before June," she said, according to Gulf News.

Banerji, meanwhile, urged prospective pilgrims to assess their physical preparedness rather than relying only on social media videos and influencer content. She said the high-altitude journey can be particularly demanding for older travellers.

Another Dubai resident, Kanchana Daswani, who was on her fourth Kailash pilgrimage, said the experience also highlighted the need to adapt to changing conditions.

"We understand that this terrain has its own challenges and uncertainties. But it gave us a lot more inner strength and acceptance of change, and of the fact that nature has its own laws," she added.