Holy Mountain in Tibet Attracts Pilgrims

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 ◆ Holy Mountain in Tibet Attracts Pilgrims

The Ngari Pilgrimage 2002 began on May 24 in the Ngari Prefecture of Tibet, in an effort to cater for flocks of visitors and pilgrims heading to worship at Tibet's holy Mount Kailash.

Over 100,000 visitors and pilgrims - ten times more than the usual numbers in past years- are expected to arrive at the mountain in this Tibetan Year of the Horse.

It is hoped that the newly-launched pilgrimage festival program will help boost tourism, according to local officials.

Among the 10,000 visitors and pilgrims already in Ngari, over 500 have come from overseas.

In each Year of the Horse calculated according to the Tibetan calendar, followers of various religions like Buddhism and Hinduism gather at the 6,714-meter-high Mount Kailash, the main peak in the Gangdise Mountains.