The tour group of 23 pilgrims including several women had left for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra on June 20 and were expected to be back in the city on June 30. “However, our plans went haywire upon our return from the pilgrim centre after heavy rains and landslides stalled all forms of transport in Nepal,” said SR Balasubramaniam from West Mambalam who coordinated the group comprising mostly elderly citizens upon arrival here.  

After visiting the shrine, the tour group was on its way back when they were stuck near Simikot due to bad weather. “We were taken to cramped shelters along with other pilgrims where we stayed for around four days. All our clothes and belongings were wet and we did not even have dry change. For the first few days, the Nepal government did not bother about Indian pilgrims and we almost ran out of food,” said KH Vijayalakshmi, a retired bank manager from Mannadi. 

After the intervention of the Ministry of External Affairs, small aircraft and helicopters were arranged to transport the stranded pilgrims. “By the third day, we were so exhausted that we almost gave up hope. 

It was then about 19 of us including seven women were brought to the India-Nepal border in special flights. From there, we travelled by road to Lucknow,” Balasubramaniam said. From Lucknow, the passengers booked their individual return tickets to Chennai. “We are glad to be alive and back home,” Balasubramanian said. While 16 of them reached on Wednesday, some of the other members of the group left for New Delhi and other destinations on their own from Lucknow.