More than four months after he announced his intention to visit Kailash Mansarovar, Congress President Rahul Gandhi will undertake the pilgrimage later this week.
The Congress president is expected to give out the details of his yatra on Thursday on his Twitter handle. But sources say he is likely to go on August 31 to Kathmandu for the journey to Mount Kailash and is expected to complete his journey by September 12.
Mr. Gandhi had first announced his intention at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on April 29 while addressing the Aakrosh rally. Calling himself a shiv bhakt (Lord Shiva’s devotee), the Congress chief had said he wanted to thank Lord Shiva and shared his experience of a frightening experience he had on a plane.
“A few days ago, we were on our way to Karnataka on an aircraft. And the aircraft suddenly came down by 8,000 feet. I thought gaadi gayi [that it was all over]. At that moment, it struck my mind that I have to go to Kailash Mansarovar,” Mr. Gandhi had said at the Aakrosh rally.
But ahead of three crucial Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, a visit to Mount Kailash, considered to be abode of Lord Shiva, carries political significance. With the BJP branding the Congress as a party that only believes in minority appeasement, Mr. Gandhi’s visit to places of worship, especially temples, are being seen as course correction undertaken by the party.