This is the end of a memorable yatra!!after 26 days of trekking,reaching unimaginable heights both spiritual and physical of 18500',fulfilling life's dream of a visit to sacred Kailas and holy Manasarovar we came to the plains of India,and travelling from Darchula we reached Newdelhi by 10.45Pm.
OM NAMAH SHIVAYA.
On 22nd on our way from Mangti to Darchula,there was a landslide caused by heavy rains in the last few days;we all carefully negotiated over the large rocks seen in the photograph.
we left kalapani early morning and reached Gunji by twelve noon covering 9km.we had spectacular views of snowcapped peaks;we had a good hot water bath here after a long time;we felt relaxed and happy and recounted our experiences of the yatra with each other and felt like one family.
We saw OM PARVAT covered with snow as we reached Navidang on the 19th .It remains a great mystery as to how the sacred symbol Om could form on an Himalayan peak !
On 19th sep. we left TAKALAKOT early in the morning and crossed over into India by 10am via Lipulekh Pass which was under thick snow as seen in the photo.We reached Navidang for lunch and kalapani for night halt.
one of the yatris taking bath in the holy lake;it is believed that a bath in the lake washes off all sins.
The parikrama of Manasarovar ,137 km ,was performed by bus on the 13th,14th and 15th sept.We took bath in the holy lake and collected shaligrams from the shores ;we also collected the holy waters of the lake for carrying home.
12th Sep;We completed the parikrama of Mount kailas and reached base camp of Darchen today; in the after noon we went to ASHTAPAD to view kailas south face.Kailas mountain has four faces;this south face is said be the holiest.
On the 11th morning ,after crossing Dolma pass we had darshan of Gaurikund,a holy lake of emarald green waters;it was snowing on and off.
Dolma Pass is the highest Point in the Parikrama of Kailas as also in the entire yatra; on this day we started at Derapuk and covered six kilometers to reach Dolma Pass by 11am; we trekked another 13 km to reach ZONGZERBU,our night halt;we carried camphor tablets tied in a cloth and were frequently inhaling its vapours to reduce breathlessness due to lack of oxygen at these hights;most of us covered the trek partly on foot and partly on pony.Dolma is a very revered Godess of the tibetans, and the Tibetan yatris tie flags and leave some personal belongings at this place.
Kailas has four faces,east,west,north,south;in the three day circumambulation of the mountain,the yatri can see all the faces.
The route from Takalakot To Darchen,the base camp for the yatris,is 14o km which we covered by bus on the 9th sept.The route passes between the two lakes of Rakshstal on the left[seen in the picture] and Manasarovar on the right.Rakshastal is where Ravana,the king of Lanka performed penance to obtain lord Siva's Atmalinga.
6th to 9th sep.On 6th from kalapani we trekked ten kilometers to Navidang at an altitude of13157' and halted for the night.on 7th we left Navidang by 5am to trek 7 km to Lipulekh pass at 17600'.It was very cold in spite of several layers of wollens and an overcoat; the ITBP advised us to reach the pass very early as strong winds will develop in the pass as the day advances; we reached the pass by 7 am.but had to wait there for two hours for the return of yatris of 14th batch;we can enter Tibet only after that batch returns to India; though the night was extremely cold, it became very hot by 9 am;we trekked from the pass for 5 km,when the chinese buses picked us up and took us to Takalakot at 13200'. We halted here on 7th. and 8th. attended to immigration check,converted dollars to yuans.[8yuans for one dollar]
9th morning we were ready to leave by 7.30 am but were delayed as one of the yatris fell ill and had to be admitted to hospital; finally we left at 11.30 am chinese standarad time; we were divided into two groups of 17 each;I was in B group heading to Kailas first,then to manasarovar,viceversa for A group;Dolma a Tibetan girl was our local guide; we drove for two hours when we had the first darshan of Kailas [seen in the photo here].we alighted from the bus and saluted the mount by performing shastangadandapranam.
5th sep.gunji to kalapani,11121'.9km.we went in a convoy with ITBPsecurity and reached kalapani by 11am.I trekked the entire distance on foot.The route is very serene with the river kali flowing calmly;this place is the origin of river kali.
