PETALING JAYA: There were tears of relief when 38 Malaysian pilgrims finally arrived home on Aug 31, ending a tense journey from Mount Kailash after floods disrupted their original route.
The group had to take an alternative route across the Tatopani-Kodari border from China into Nepal after their planned route through Rasuwa-Gyirong was disrupted.
Polama Groups Travel & Tours managing director S. Dhaneswaran and his team worked to secure a safe alternative route for the pilgrims, who had been travelling with the company.
Persatuan Haiwan Terbiar Malaysia president R. Kalaivanan, one of the pilgrims, said he saw the pressure faced by the tour team as conditions continued to change.
“Having been involved in disaster and emergency missions before, I understood the seriousness of the situation. But this time, I was experiencing it as a pilgrim, far away from home.
“I saw the pressure, exhaustion, tears and heartbreak behind the scenes, but Dhaneswaran and the team continued working to find a safe way to bring all of us home,” he said yesterday.
The group travelled across Tibet towards Tatopani-Kodari, a route also affected by landslides and road damage, before successfully entering Nepal.
“There were moments when we could see how difficult the road ahead was. Throughout the journey, we remained calm, supported one another and trusted the people working behind the scenes. For us, faith played a very important part,” said Kalaivanan.
After reaching Kathmandu, the pilgrims received assistance from the Malaysian Embassy in Nepal.
Embassy head of chancery Muammar Taufiqi Mustapha accompanied them to Tribhuvan International Airport before their flight to Kuala Lumpur.
All 38 landed safely at KL International Airport on Aug 31, where Wisma Putra officers were waiting to welcome them home.
“After everything we had gone through, seeing our Malaysian officials waiting for us at KLIA was an emotional and meaningful moment.
“We knew then that the journey was finally over. We were safely home,” Kalaivanan said.
The pilgrims arrived in Kathmandu on Aug 15 before travelling overland towards the Rasuwa border and entering Tibet for their pilgrimage to Lake Manasarovar and Mount Kailash.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Relief Agency has launched the Nepal Disaster Humanitarian Fund to mobilise emergency aid for communities affected by the floods.
Its president Khairil Annuar Khalid said the assistance would include food, clean water, sanitation and hygiene supplies, baby and hygiene kits, medical aid and temporary prayer halls for affected Muslim communities.
“The need for food, clean water, shelter, healthcare services and basic family necessities is becoming increasingly urgent,” he said in a separate statement.
On Aug 26, massive flash floods struck Rasuwa district in northern Nepal, also affecting Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and downstream areas.
