Reflections: April 2024

The Sacred Walk to Kailash and Manasarovar

I recently discovered the "Songs of the River" by Shanthanu Moitra who immortalized his deeply personal expedition along the Ganga from Gangotri in Uttarakhand to Ganga Sagar in West Bengal. It's an extremely sensitive and thoughtful documentary that includes many extraordinary people, artists and artisans and change makers along the way in its embrace. It's a slow yatra suffused with ideas, thoughts, realizations and emotions. Some really exquisite photography brings these ethereal locations to life.

As I sat mesmerized by the Gangotri glacier melting drop by drop giving birth, as it were to the mighty Ganga, a thought crossed my mind. "I somehow travelled to Kailash and Manasarovar 7 years ago, but, THIS may be the closest I will come to seeing Gangotri." I was motivated to record my yatra to Kailash & Manasarovar to the best of my recall before the words to describe my own experience dry up.

The realization of my dream to go to Kailash and take a dip in Manasarovar was prophetic to say the least. It was on top of a bucket list that I used to maintain for over 2 decades before I knew anything much about them. For some reason, they inspired me deeply and ignited a quiet desire to be by their side one day.

Initial rumblings

I tried to go once in 2010, but, I faced stiff resistance from the family as they feared I might not be back in time for a family wedding. The next time I planned to go in 2017, I planted the seed in everyone a full year before my planned travel in order to sensitize and exhaust them of all kinds of questions and reservations. That worked. So, I wrote a quiet WILL and set off with Isha Sacred Walks to Kailash in the August of 2017. Looking back, 50 to 60 was indeed the best age to go there when I had the longing and capacity in equal measure.

Before we set out in August 2017, I trained by walking 5 km a day for 3 months, come rain or shine. I met another anna (Satish) who lived close by and was going there in another batch during a similar time window. In fact, we both shopped for our outerwear together and we even ran a 10km marathon in support of Isha Vidhya organization.

Off to Kathmandu

The D-day finally arrived and we reached Kathmandu by a direct flight from Bangalore. Whatever the 15 day itinerary there was, was in complete shambles as our Kathmandu sojourn got extended by 3 days due to some visa issues. We took advantage of the time off to visit Pasupatinath mandir, some monuments and one of the kumaris chosen as the living Goddesses and worshipped by the Buddhists and Hindus alike. We also attended the much-awaited satsang with Sadhguru on one of the evenings. We were just 100 people and got to sit with Sadhguru in proximity.

There was a daily Guru Pooja, evening Satsang, preparatory videos from past pilgrimages relevant for the stage we were in and many co-travelers to share our excitement of being on this open-ended pilgrimage with. I soon gave up my fixation with itinerary, schedules and learnt to surrender to the higher forces. I would channel my usual angst and anxiety into a wish and a prayer to smoothen the path ahead.

Pashupatinath Mandir

Landing in Nepalgunj

Eventually, we got some assurances of visas etc. as our group had passports from all around the world before we moved from Kathmandu and flew to Nepalgunj - a Nepali border town quite close to UP. We were still in the plains and the town was not dissimilar to any small Indian town and the hotel served really good Indian food. But, we had very little clue of what twists and turns lay ahead.

On our way to Nepalgunj

During the couple of days we were in Nepalgunj, we would troop into Nepalgunj airport daily and wait to hear if the weather cleared for a small plane to fly several sorties to a small hill station called Simikot, close to China/Tibet border with Nepal. As days rolled by, we got comfortable with one another and everybody was friendly and generous being bound by a common intense desire to reach Kailash despite all the odds. Being a passionate singer, I carried lyrics of a few bhajans and chants to sing on the trip. While we waited outside the airport in a non-descript area, I checked with our volunteer coordinator Christine and started to sing. Several co-travellers joined in chorus as these were familiar to many while all the rest listened with rapt attention. It was a beautiful experience for me and one that would recur several times - on the road, in the vans, in trains, in lobbies and in satsangs over the next 2 weeks.

Simikot - Nepal's one of many hilltop habitations

Most of us made it to Simikot on the second day but a few were left behind in Nepalgunj as weather suddenly turned inclement for the next few days. Those of us who made it to Simikot worked on short treks in the mountains, visiting small village temples, view points and water falls to acclimatize ourselves to high altitudes and attendant rarefied atmosphere. We were instructed not to shower or do any strenuous yoga other than a 20 minute Shambhavi Kriya (Pranayam, Bandhas and meditation) if we have already been initiated and have been practicing it.

Just after landing at Simikot Airstrip

So, with all the time at our disposal, we would gather on the front porch of our sparse but cozy mountain lodge and sing, read or meditate or speculate on what lay ahead. I had even learnt a song I heard at the Isha Yoga Centre for a while and been wanting to learn. We spent the rest of the time gazing at the distant mountains and kept hoping to make it to Kailash. Food wise, cauliflower growing in the front garden starred in most meals and hot tea in big steel mugs was very welcome in the chilly mountain air. During all this time at Simikot, a handful of our group stayed stranded in Nepangunj without a flight to bring them to the hilly Simikot.

A number of visa challenges, potential detours and other twists and turns were kept from us but, the core volunteer team and the head coordinator (akka from Lebanon) were regrouping and re-planning all the while. Due to border tensions between China and India, visa to cross a nearby bridge into Tibet/China was ruled out. We had to abandon the plan A that we were on, stop trying to bring those stranded in Nepalgunj to Simikot. We packed all of our stuff back into the standardized and numbered bags and filed into the small airstrip that feels like it is on the edge of a cliff which only small planes can navigate on a good sunny day.

Plan B- Back to Nepalgunj

We all gathered in small groups wherever possible outside the main entrance looking for sunny patches. I would always be in a singing mode and there were many who would gather around with one request or another and be ready to sing along. It's not so much a performance but shared joy and abandon. Eventually, several sorties took off to Nepalgunj before it was 5 PM. Ladies, older people were prioritized to go first as decided by the coordinators. At 5 PM, there were still 5 or 6 of us who were waiting for the last flight, but, it was ruled out due to weather and light conditions. However, our bags were already gone with the earlier batches and we faced the prospect of staying back overnight without any of our clothes and essentials. I don't remember any of us getting stressed about it too much as we were ready for anything by that point. This predicament lasted for an hour or so before we were given a ray of hope that a helicopter was a possibility and was quickly arranged with the local guides that were helping our trip. So, it ended up with the last 6 of us getting lucked out with a serene ring-side view of various hilltops, almost all of them sparsely inhabited, in the golden hour as we scudded away to Nepangunj. I can only say that our joyous helicopter ride was topped by the enthusiastic welcome from the group already in Nepalgunj who stayed back at the airport till we were all together again.

The last ones to leave - in style!

Off to Kathmandu and transfer to Lhasa

We were officially ready for Plan B which entailed us to return all the way to Kathmandu and immediately transfer to Lhasa which wasn't on the itinerary before. But, a big disappointment awaited us when Christine, our head volunteer coordinator told us that she won't be able to continue with us due to visa issues but that Samarth, a senior participant from Dubai and a seasoned volunteer will take on her role. Many of us who were just getting to know Christine and the selfless and efficient nature that characterizes her and other volunteers, had to bid her a tearful goodbye. I still remember Christine akka signing to me to continue to sing.

By this time, many of us started enjoying the liberating feeling of being uncluttered by 'What ifs' and unhindered by schedules. We were free spirits visualizing just one constant thought of making it to Kailash and Manasarovar with our own self-devised prayer on our lips.

We also felt we knew one another, their skills, gifts and general temperament without the bother of knowing their careers and credentials. I would generally sit in the front with access to a microphone and sing or asked to sing with many joining along for popular bhajans and chants. A lot of the songs were in Hindi and were part of the just released album 'Chandra Jeevan' by Sounds of Isha. I would also attempt a few evocative Kabir and Tulsidas bhajans I had heard by Kumar Gandharv etc. Their meaning and tunes are out of this world and uplifting. The travel and the long rides never mattered much and we were all, so to say, ready for the ride!

Train ride to Shigatse

After an overnight stay in Lhasa, we headed to the train station early next morning and got on a train to Shigatse. It was not a very long ride or we did not realize it as many of us were singing away the tuneful Chandrashekhara Stotram and other popular requests. The co-travelers were kind and didn't seem to mind or perhaps, their enigmatic and stoic faces did not reveal much!

Road trip to Sago all along a river

We got into two large vans from Shigatse station to Sago quite a distance away. Before we did that, I think we had an Indian lunch as always at a place contracted for the purpose and we used the time to figure out who was signing up for a porter on the final Kailash trek. I decided to take one to minimize difficulties on that critical high-altitude trek. A lot of bon homie and snacks were shared by all. We found a roadside eatery for dinner early on that evening and we enjoyed so many fresh, steamed greens and veggies with hot rice. We were eating fresh veggies after a long time and enjoyed the experience thoroughly.

The famous Chinese 'Dhaba'

We were supposed to reach Sago by that night and rest there. I didn't realize till 3 AM next morning that we were still in the van as we were impeded by landslides at various places and a swollen river was flowing just by us all night. We reached Sago only after day break after a night of fitful sleep. The landscape and the towns got drabber and drearier as we scaled the altitude and were approaching the Himalayan tundra. The hotels too became sparser with no elevators etc. I was roomed with 3 other senior citizens (a yoga teacher from Scotland, a retired Gujarati man from Canada and one other). The Indian toilet was a surprise but no one complained as long as our knees were still able to bend. More interesting toilet situations awaited us but by then, we were prepared. On one of the mornings, another anna and I volunteered to help with Guru Pooja and we went in search of some fresh flowers to offer. There were barely any trees and flowers were an even more remote possibility.

Headed to Manasarovar

We headed out to Manasarovar by bus from Sago. We reached late that night and there was, of course no power. Manasarovar was a few metres away but nothing could be seen. In that pitch darkness, 3 new room mates and I had to repack only those items we need for Kailash into one single bag that will be carried by yaks to our Kailash meeting point and leave the rest which will be reached to us when we reach Sago on our return.

Manasarovar Lodge

On the next morning, we gathered on the banks of Manasarovar and were guided through a preparatory meditation to orient us for the holy dip. As I stood taking in the vastness of Manasarovar, its serene waters and its ethereal backdrop, an overwhelming feeling of gratitude swept over me for having been offered this rare chance to be here in this lifetime. Manasarovar and Kailash are always spoken of, in extremely remote terms but, I was there on its very banks in that moment. That feeling of completeness and thankfulness remained fresh in my memory and I seem to be able to relive the very feelings every time I recall that moment.

Manasarovar

We were told to desist from any showers (not that we had any such possibilities) from Manasarovar to Kailash and till we get back to Sago in the plains. Toilets were out in the open in designated areas and I would get up earlier than most and finish these toilet activities early despite the threat of wild dogs in those early hours, leaving enough time for me to pack, repack as needed and present my clean self at the Guru Pooja by 5:30 AM.

Kailash - The moment we were waiting for

After the holy dip and breakfast, we started off in a large bus to 'Yamadwar' where we begin the exalted trek to Kailash. Our bags had already been sent off on Yaks to our staying area in Kailash. After getting to know our porters (oh, bless these hardy mountain folks for their invaluable help), we finally set off on our trek that I have been visualizing for many years. We could all follow our own pace or we could go with whoever matched our pace and didn't mind company. The whole approach was non-selective so that we can be free of even those subtle bondages and be really our true selves as we approach the moment of our lives.

On our personal parikrama

We had a couple of noodle and snack stops in the makeshift eateries that locals have set up along the way where our volunteer physicians checked on us for any warning signs. Though the weather was generally sunny with really chill breeze, we suddenly encountered hail storm in the middle of the trek. We had to ferret out our rainproof gear and wear it. On the way, Kailash's west face emerged with its unique characteristics. We saw several Tibetans who follow the Bon religion doing the parikrama by prostration all through. What an expression of dedication and devotion that human beings are capable of!

Kailash - The West face

By evening, temperature dropped very quickly and we reached our stay area when there was still light out. There were small rivulets, probably from snow melt that we had to cross to make it to our home for the next 2 nights.

The Kailash Lodge

I turned my head to the left and there it was - the North face of Kailash glistening in the setting Sun. It appears deceptively close and looks clearly like it was put there by some extra terrestrial force because the rest of the mountain range does not match with it one bit in terms of shape, colour and material as well, they say. To the right of Kailash in our perspective, there was a cascading stream of water rushing down the slope. We could settle down on any rock and gaze at it and take it in with every pore of our being because our little brains/minds seem too small to capture the majesty and import of Kailash.

Returning on a rare High

After an entire day of slow trekking in that rarefied air and pausing often, we started back on an early morning at a pace of our choice in the company of strangers who have become very close in a mysterious way without having to know what they did but just having an insane thoughts of Kailash in common. When we returned to Lhasa, and we spent some time in the local Buddhist temples (Chugan Temple) and markets and had a closing Satsang in our well-appointed hotel. I sang one final song and I chose the song that I had learnt on this yatra.

The Lhasa Market

We were all on a high and this continued even after reaching Kathmandu. A few of us stayed back for a couple of extra days there and a Nepalese participant took us around Swayambhunath temple and other places. I still feel goosebumps when I think of spontaneous meditation I felt deeply for many minutes in a small shrine on the terrace of the Hotel Tibet we were staying in. I have never felt like that ever again. Our receptivity was very high at the end of the trip perhaps due to being away from so many mundane distractions with single focus for so long.

The Shrine in Hotel Tibet

At the end of it, we used all modes of transport except the waterways and felt so much at home with so many strangers and was blessed with a chance in this life to be at Kailash and Manasarovar when I still could. The 18 days passed so effortlessly and were packed with so much that we could not think of anything else. The WhatsApp group with co-participants is still in tact though it is not very chatty with humdrum stuff, thankfully.

I could do this because my wife held the fort and my daughter postponed her trip back to the US by 2 weeks. I recall my mother who was at home and was to exit the planet in 2018, welcoming me with folded hands as the people who go to Kailash get that extra sanctity in people's perspective. But, it's for for us to build on as we go forward.

I know for sure that I will not exhaust all the wonderful places of this world in my lifetime. But, I went to Kailash which is sacred to Hindus, Buddhists, Bon and Jains alike while Chinese just call Mount Kailash as Kangrinboqe Peak and Manasarovar as Mapang Yongcuo. It was indeed the trip of a lifetime!