She was about to cross into Tibet for a long-awaited pilgrimage – then her messages stopped
Subhrasree Chakraborty, a 43-year-old Indian medical technologist, was travelling on a long-awaited pilgrimage to Mount Kailash when her messages stopped shortly after she cleared Nepalese immigration near the Tibet border. She is among at least 290 Indians reported missing after deadly flash floods struck the Nepal–Tibet border area, leaving families uncertain whether pilgrims were rescued or caught in the disaster.
Chakraborty left Kolkata on 21 August, travelled via Raxaul and Kathmandu, and reached Syabrubesi with a group of about 30 pilgrims on 25 August. Her final message to her husband, sent at 07:57 local time on 26 August, said the group was waiting to enter China; all contact ended six minutes later. The pilgrimage to the mountain, sacred in Hinduism as the home of Shiva, had resumed last year after pandemic disruption and India–China tensions.
In short
- Indian pilgrim disappears after Nepal–Tibet border floods.
- At least 290 Indians are reported missing.
- Her family has received no information since her final message.
Explained simply
Mount Kailash lies in Tibet and is a sacred place for Hindus, who regard it as the home of the god Shiva. Pilgrims from India often travel through Nepal to reach the mountain, and the route includes crossing into China.
The Nepal–Tibet border area is remote, and travel there can involve several stages and border checks. Chakraborty was travelling with a group of pilgrims from India; her journey took her from Kolkata through Nepal towards the border.
The pilgrimage had resumed after disruption from the pandemic and tensions between India and China. The reported flash floods have left families trying to establish what happened to travellers in the area.