My

journey to the abode of God: Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra

Adi Shankaracharya, towards the end of his incarnation, went to Kedarnath.
Kedarnath, the northern most of the jyotirlingas, is nestled in the snow clad
Himalayas. Tradition has it that Adi Shankara disappeared from sight at
Kedarnath. Madhaviya Shankara Vijayam portrays this incident thus: There
came a concourse of Rishis and Devas with Brahma as their head to lead the
incarnate aspect of Shiva back to his pristine state in Shivaloka. The divine
bull Nandi came and stood before him. To the chorus of hymns, rain of
Kalpaka flowers, the great Sanyasin mounting the back of Nandi with Brahma
supporting him transformed himself into real form as the great Shiva and
attained to his divine abode, Kailasha.
In Hindu Mythology, Mount Kailash is considered the abode of Lord Shiva and
Lake Manasarovar the form of Devi Parvati. In this holy place, we worship
nature - pure and untouched. There is a certain aura about this lake and
mountain that separates them from all others. It is said in the Vedas that
Kailash is a place for Gods to enjoy. The beauty at this place cannot be
expressed in words.
Till we sight Kailash, every snow capped mountain catches our eye and we
are left in awe; but Mount Kailash, once sighted, diminishes every other

mountain and alone stands majestically, in all glory. The only equal to
Kailashs beauty is Lake Manasarovar.
The Kailash Yatra is one of the most difficult land journeys on earth. For one
to successfully accomplish this yatra, physical fitness and tremendous will
power are essential. By road, it takes four days to reach Manasarovar and
Kailash, traveling approximately nine to ten hours each day.
DAY 1
We started journey at 5:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST). It is a six-hour
journey by bus from Katmandu to Kodari (the village at the Nepalese border).
After Nepalese border formalities, we crossed the Friendship Bridge by foot.
We then reached the Chinese border post where they checked our visas.
Simultaneously, they held out thermometers to check each of our body
temperatures. We then got into the land cruisers (accommodating 4
passengers each) and started journey. At Zhang Mu, we completed the
immigration formalities and started for Nyalam. Nyalam is at an altitude of
14,000 feet and this is the place where we can see how our body responds to
the changes in altitude. It is very common for people to experience headaches,
vomiting or nose bleeding. All these are symptoms of AMS (Acute Mountain
Sickness). Diamox tablets are quite useful as they assist your heart in adapting
to the altitude. That evening, after checking into our lodge, I took a stroll
around. It was cold and I put on my down jacket. There was a Chinese
Telecom booth nearby from where we called home.
DAY 2
We were to stay in Nyalam this day. We did not have the facility to have a
shower. The water was freezing cold in the taps but we could get hot water for
brushing teeth.
DAY 3
The roads on the Nyalam-Saga stretch were definitely the worst and this
doubled the strain and tedium we felt. We started from Nyalam at 6:00 AM
IST. The drive was very long and consisted of infinite ups and downs. It felt
like the wildest roller-coaster ride I had experienced. The roads are very
narrow and the drivers must have 100% control over the vehicles. If he loses
his concentration for one millisecond, then God help us. On the way to Saga,
we crossed Pikutso Lake. A little later, we saw an amazing landscape around

us. We were standing on desert sand with no sign of greenery. There was a
river flowing in full rage nearby and beyond that was a complete range of
snow-capped mountains. Just before reaching Saga, we crossed the
Brahmaputra River. In Saga, we were to stay in the Post Hotel. Here, the toilets
were only ground dug pits and they were not clean. However, there was a
five-star hotel nearby and we booked a room for the night, mainly because we
were badly in need of a shower.
DAY 4
We started our journey from Saga to Paryang at 6:55 am IST. The distance to
be covered was only about 185 km but there were 15-minute halts every 1 or
2 hours and these slowed down our progress. To add to our woes, one of our
tires got punctured on the way. We finally reached Paryang (altitude 15,000
feet) at 3:00 pm IST. We lodged at Tashi Hotel. It was very comfortable except
for the toilets, but here we had no alternative. All the buildings were actually
mud houses. It was very cold at night.
DAY 5
We were finally headed for Manasarovar. We could not sight the lake or the
mountain for a long time. At about 3:30 PM, we climbed a small plateau and
we finally had Darshan of the sacred lake. However, Kailash was well hidden
behind the clouds and we did not get to see the mountain. This was a very
emotional moment for all the yatris. Many people performed sashtanga
namaskaram in the direction of Mount Kailash, and had tears in their eyes.
The place was completely quiet and serene. It was a sunny day. For a long
time, we were trying to figure out where Kailash was, and eventually gave up.
All our eyes were on the lake. It was massive and I could feel a certain divinity
emanating from it. We then proceeded in our vehicles to the banks of the lake.
We were to camp here. The tents (accommodating two people each) were
pitched. We were a bit cramped inside the tent. We slept in our sleeping bags
that night.
DAY 6
All the yatris took bath in the Lake Manasarovar and we performed
Rudrabhishekam, Rudra Homam and Sri Vidya Navavarna Homam on the
banks of the lake. Many of us were starting to feel disappointed, as we had not
gotten Darshan of Kailash yet. Following lunch, we started our Parikrama
(circumambulation) of Manasarovar. About five minutes after we started, the

clouds around Kailash suddenly cleared and what a sight it was! Mt. Kailash
stood right in front of us and we were taken by surprise. The scenery was now
complete. Seeing Kailash and Manasarovar together sent a thrill through my
veins. We crossed several streams during the Manasarovar Parikrama and we
stopped and collected a few small pebbles (called murthams). These are said
to be ancient sages who attained the boon to be at Kailash forever; even today,
they are supposed to be chanting Om Namah Shivaya constantly within
themselves. We all felt energized after the mornings prayers, and chanted
Lalitha Sahasranamam in the car during this journey. After the Parikrama, we
proceeded directly to Darchen. From here, we got our closest yet darshan of
Kailash. The formation of snow on the black mountain was in such a way that
it looked like a person meditating with closed eyes! I just did not have the
heart to take my eyes off the mount.
In the evening, we packed essential items like medicines, dry fruits and energy
bars in our backpacks in preparation for the Kailash Parikrama. During the
Parikrama, the weather is extremely unpredictable. It could be scorching hot,
rainy, snowy and cloudy all in a days time. There is no shelter you can expect
during the walk. Horses and porters are available and they can be booked in
advance. Of the 28 people in my group, 17 people could do the Parikrama. Of
these 17, only 5 opted for a horse while all others desired to complete it by
walk. But, the Parikrama cannot be completed entirely on a horse. There are
places where the path is so rugged that the horse simply cannot carry a
passenger. So, any yatri undertaking the Parikrama should have full
confidence in their physical fitness. The distance covered by foot is 52 km, and
we reach an altitude of 19,500 feet. I am sure all the yatris who were
undertaking the Parikrama from our group were perfectly aware of what
awaited them at this stage. That night before going to sleep, I closed my eyes
and pictured mount Kailash.
DAY 7
At 8:00 AM IST, we left the hotel. We were driven in our vehicles to the
starting point of the Parikrama where we met our porters, horses etc. In the
morning, the sky was clear and we had a wonderful Darshan of Kailash. I
decided to do the Parikrama by walk. As soon as we started, there was a small
hill and I found this first climb difficult. The first days route consisted of
numerous ups and downs that were not very steep. Overall, I felt it was good
preparation for the next days rigorous trekking. During the walk, I saw a
Tibetan doing their version of Parikrama, called the kora. They follow the

same route and they cover the whole distance by repeated sashtanga
namaskaram! Throughout the days trek, we had constant Darshan of Kailash
on our right-hand side. We covered 18 of the 52 km that day and we camped
at DeraPuk at night. A bed in a mud house for 40 Yuan was available for the
night and we rented these right away.
DAY 8
This days hike is the longest of the three days, covering a distance of 28 km.
We started at 5:30 AM IST. It was cloudy and we were all grateful it was not
raining. We were constantly being advised to walk slow and steady but this is
certainly easier said than done. Chocolates came in handy, as they were an
immediate source of energy. The highest point we reach is called the Dolma La
Pass. It is at an altitude of 19,500 feet. This is the closest we get physically to
the peak of Mount Kailash. The climb to Dolma La Pass was extremely
strenuous and the only words I uttered were Om Namah Shivaya. Dolma Devi
is Tara Devi and the locals consider the spot very holy. There were lots of flags
of worship tied here. From the Dolma La Pass, we could see Gowri Kund, which
locally believed to be Parvatis bathing place. The spot is perfectly serene and
the sight of the crystal clear water is soothing to the eye. As soon as I reached
the pass, I heaved a sigh of relief at having finally done it. I was catching my
breath sitting on a rock when the tour leader told me to get going right away.
At this point, I was walking by myself and there was no other yatri in the
vicinity. Although slightly scared, I told myself to keep going. The climb down
was very steep and the mud was loose. In some places, there was no trail to
follow and I had to find my own path over the rocks. The indication of the end
of the descent was a tent where I could see my fellow yatris resting. What a
relief! After a short break, we continued our hike. This stretch was not as
strenuous as the previous one but just as tiring. We also had to endure a bit of
hail during this time. Other than that, the weather was pleasant. We camped at
Zuthul Puk and we stayed in a mud house again. I reached there at 5:30 PM
exactly 12 hours of trekking. When I removed my shoes and socks, my feet
had become very pale and almost numb. It took me the whole night to get
back to normal. As soon as we reached the camp, we were served hot soup by
the Nepalese staff. It tasted divine and I drank it to my hearts content. That
night, I realized the full magnitude of the Parikrama. I felt as though I had
offered my life to God and He returned it back, just as we make an offering
during a Puja and get Prasad back.
DAY 9

We started at 7:30 AM IST. We were informed that our vehicles would be

waiting for us at the end point at 12 Noon. The walk was not difficult. At
9:30 AM, I was completely taken by surprise when I saw the vehicles. They
had meant local time 12 Noon, implying 9:30 am IST! There, many yatris could
not stop crying from happiness at having successfully completed the
Parikrama. We went back to Darchen and we called home right away. After
lunch, we proceeded to Manasarovar. We camped there for the night.
DAY 10
We started at 7:00 AM IST for Paryang. I slept in the car for most of the
journey.
DAY 11
We left Paryang for Saga. I felt that the journey back was somehow going
faster.
DAY 12
The 9-hour journey from Saga to Nyalam was worse than I had expected. It
was extremely backbreaking and tiresome. When we finally reached Nyalam
Hotel, I was fully exhausted.
DAY 13
In the morning, we were told there had been a landslide on the road from
Nyalam to the Nepalese border. We prepared ourselves to walk the distance of
5 km over the landslide. It was clear that every yatri was determined to reach
Katmandu that day. We crossed the landslide and waited for three hours for
the vehicles that were to take us to the border. We got into our buses after the
Nepalese visa formalities. We got our Chinese currency changed back while
waiting for our bags to be loaded onto the bus. When we started from Kodari
it was 6:00 PM exactly. Nobody talked in the bus. In half an hour, everyone
was asleep. It was 15 minutes to midnight when we finally reached Katmandu.
We then had our dinner and slept.
DAY 14
In the morning I had a long shower, and we went to Pashupatinath Temple.
Our flight to New Delhi was scheduled for departure at 9:30 PM. By the time
we completed all formalities at the airport and reached home, it was midnight.

In Delhi, I felt as if I had been brought back from a stupor. The whole yatra
seemed like a dream. The numerous difficulties and hurdles posed to us now
make the yatra all the more memorable. In this pilgrimage, there is very little
humans can do against Natures wishes. Also, this is one place where human
beings are not allowed to make their own rules - everyone follows natures
laws. For instance, nobody can disturb the quiet of the place by shouting or
talking loudly. Finally, after reaching home, everybody asked me the same
question: how was your experience? My answer to them was always the same:
excellent; although I was perfectly aware that this word only expresses a
fraction of really how amazing the experience was!
Sowmya Ranganathan currently lives in San Francisco, California. She is a
Chartered Accountant and has an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and a
Masters degree in Accounting from the University of Waterloo in Canada. In June
2005, when she was fifteen years old, she undertook this yatra with her parents
Akhila and Raghu Ranganathan and her grandfather K. R. Yegnarathnam. This
yatra was a truly humbling and life-changing experience for her.