July 28, 2013: Om Namah Shivaya… is what I blurted out aloud with reverence as I stood mesmerised at the sight of the magnificent snow-covered tip of Mount Kailash, says Moovera K. Kuttappa, 67, a retired Deputy Commissioner of Excise Department and Vice-President of Mysore Kodava Samaja.

“The whole Kailash Mansarovar Yatra (KMY) experience is a dream-come-true for me and my wife Bollamma, 62, who is the Director of Mysore District HOPCOMS and former Director of APMC. It is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many and I feel blessed to have successfully completed the pilgrimage,” he was exultant as he said this.

Kuttappa praised the Chinese administration in Tibet who, despite being a Communist nation, have allowed pilgrims from India and other nations to visit the region. They have also provided excellent concrete roads, dormitories and other amenities to the visitors, apart from medical facilities, including the provision to air-lift the sick. There is no harassment from the Chinese personnel posted at the Customs or by the local Police, said Kuttappa, adding that they seldom speak while checking the documents.

It is said that former Cabinet Minister and Janata Party President Dr. Subramaniam Swamy played a key role in normalising relations between China and India in the matter of allowing Indians to visit Manasarovar which was stopped after 1962 Chinese war. The proposal for normalising and re-opening of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route for Indians was announced in the meeting Dr. Swamy had with China's supremo Deng Xiaoping in Beijing in April 1981 and pilgrimage for Indians began since 1983.

Mount Kailash, which is 6,714 metres above sea level, is situated in Western Tibet, coming under the reign of Chinese government. The climate here is unpredictable (max’ 20oC to min’ –10oC).

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva spent most of his time at Mount Kailash practicing yogic austerities with his divine consort Parvati. The Lake Mansarovar and the holy Mount Kailash are the soul of all Aum followers (Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Ban-Po).

It is believed that a single circumambulation (parikrama) of Mt. Kailash wipes out the sins of a lifetime and 108 parikramas guarantee enlightenment. A ritual bath in the sacred Mansarovar lake delivers the pilgrim to Brahma's paradise and a drop of its water, when consumed, relinquishes the sins of hundreds of lifetimes! Pilgrims travel clockwise around the mountain to cover a 52 km circuit. Likewise, circumambulating Manasarovar Lake is also an important ritual. The circuit is a little over 100 km and takes five days to complete.

The trek through high altitudes in freezing temperature is strenuous and also dangerous. In spite of the arduous nature of the yatra, pilgrims have been trudging through the cold desert since time immemorial. It involves trekking at high altitudes of up to 19,500 feet, under inhospitable conditions, including extreme cold and rugged terrain. It may prove hazardous for those who are not physically and medically fit. Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) has recognised KMY as a trekking expedition.

Hindus regard Mount Kailash as the earthly manifestation of Mount Meru, the spiritual centre of the universe. On Mt. Meru is situated Swarga or heaven, according to Hindu mythology. It is situated in “Gangadised” mountain zone from where River Ganga takes birth, contrary to the popular belief that Ganga is born at Gangothri, said Kuttappa.

Visiting the Manasarovar Lake is also a part of the pilgrimage. Mansarovar Lake, located at an altitude of 14,950 ft. (4,558 m) is said to be the highest freshwater lake in the world.

Kuttappa and his wife went on the pilgrimage with 23 other persons including 14 from Karnataka, five from Pune, three from Goa, two from Chattisgarh and one from Gorakhpur. The tour was organised by AKKA Adventures, in association with ABC Adventures, Kathmandu, Nepal. The couple flew to New Delhi from Bangalore on June 11, 2013 and from there, they flew to Kathmandu. The itinerary was for 13 nights and 14 days. Tibet is two-and-a-half hours ahead of Indian time.

The only negative aspect during the tour, according to Kuttappa, is booking ponies in advance for the trek from Darchen to Driaphuk campsite, which you have to either walk or ride on ponies for about seven hours and further. Ponies are allowed only if weather condition is favourable. If not, your money will not be refunded even if you do not ride the ponies. The hire for each pony is 1,500 Chinese Yuan (One Yuan is equivalent to 10 Indian National Rupee) and 500 Yuan for each porter.

Tibet is a dry and cold country. Weather conditions can change rapidly and pilgrims have to be prepared for the worst. From June till September, days are pleasant and quite warm with temperature hovering between 15o and 20o Celsius. Afternoon can get windy. Morning and evening will be chilly and mercury could hover between -2o to 0o Celsius. Altitude sickness is unpredictable for which tablets are prescribed and provided.

One can see lot of wild horses and yaks grazing in the open areas, said Kuttappa and added that in Tibet, darkness occurs after around 8 pm and it is bright dawn by 3 am.

The journey: After arriving at the Kathmandu international airport on June 11, the team was taken to a 4-star hotel by name Gangjong, whose Manager, a Tibetan, happened to know Kannada language as his parents lived in Bylakuppe Tibetan Settlement. The next day was spent in visiting the Pashupathinath temple and then sightseeing of Kathmandu city. They also visited the Kashtamandu temple after which the city is named, Kumari Palace where the Devi’s reincarnation lives (till she attains puberty) and had her darshan. They visited the old Palace which is converted into a museum and part of it as an army camp and Swayambhu temple where Hindu and Buddhist temples are located.

On the third day after performing a puja at the hotel premises and breakfast at about 10 am, they left for Kodari (Nepal-China border), a five hour journey by a tourist coach. They stayed there in a guesthouse and on the fourth day, they crossed Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge and completed the immigration formalities and travelled to Nylam (a five hour journey) where they stayed for two days for acclimatisation and Nylam city excursion. Kuttappa said that the onward journey is stopped after every two days for getting the pilgrims acclimatised to harsh weather. The pilgrims reached Manasarovar (4550 MSL) on June 17.

There is neither any provision for bathing during the journey, nor is a need felt because of the cold, said Kuttappa, adding that the only bath they had was in the ice-cold water of the holy Manasarovar, which is about 240 sqkms wide. After the dip, one of the devotees named Nataraj performed special puja with bilwapathra archana.

There is another dark and ominous looking lake nearby called the Rakshas Thal. Visitors are not allowed to go near this lake but are shown it from a distance. It is said that Rakshasas (demons) used to bathe in this lake. It is a tradition to make a pile of nine stones at this place due to which one can attain mukthi (salvation).

Kuttappa said that they were lucky to have bathed in Manasarovar on the same evening of their arrival as the next batch that came the following day, could not bathe because of harsh weather and snowfall.

Another inconvenience is the lack of proper toilets. Pilgrims have to depend on the trenches dug out for defecation, squatting on wooden planks. It is covered with sheets of canvas.

On June 18, the team left for Darchen and from there to Serlung Gompa to have divine view of Astapada, Nandi Parbat, Kailas Ganga, Kuber Parbat, Astamatrikagan Parbat and Dakshinmurti Shivalaya. They stayed overnight at Darchen Guest House.

Kuttappa said that there are no temples, no priests and no prasadam. The only structure is a small gudi [covered gate] like structure called Hemadwara at Serlung Gompa, which is considered as the gateway to Kailash. One has to enter the gate from western side and exit from the eastern side without turning back, he said and added that it is customary to leave behind a piece of cloth at that place. From this point started the Parikrama.

On June 19 began the first day of the Kailash Parikrama (Kora) from Driaphuk (4890m). They started early and walked for about seven hours approximately, after overnight stay at Driaphuk guest house campsite.

On June 20, they woke up to find that the path leading to Zuthulphuk was completely covered with ice to a depth of 6 ft. and about 16 ft. further. The Chinese army personnel who were clearing the path using machinery said that the path was closed for a week as per the Chinese government order. It coincided with the floods in Uttarakhand in India. They had completed one stage of the Parikrama and returned to the base camp by walking for about seven hours.

After overnight stay at a guesthouse, they returned to Nylam via Manasarovar and then to Kathmandu on June 23. After clearing the border formalities, they were picked up from the border by tourist coach and proceeded to Kathmandu. A function was held in the evening during which certificates were distributed to the pilgrims at Kathmandu.

Kuttappa, his wife and seven other pilgrims stayed back in Kathmandu and visited Manokamna Devi temple on June 25 on the way to Pokhara. The main attraction here is the cable car. They enjoyed boating at Phewa lake and offered puja at Maha Kali temple in the middle of the lake. They visited a cave temple where there is a mysterious waterfall and a river flowing below the cave temple.

On June 26, they flew from Pokhara to Jonsom and stayed in a hotel. There is a high-altitude warfare training cenre for the army where Commonwealth countries’ defense personnel get trained. They visited Muktinath temple too.

They returned to Kathmandu on June 28 and flew back to Bangalore the next day.

Package cost for Indian Passport holders is 1,100 US dollars plus Rs. 65,000 per person and other personal expenses.

Dr. M.K. Sanju Somaiah, son of this pilgrim M.K. Kuttappa, too had visited Manasarovar in 2010 which in a way enthused his father and mother to venture to this holy place.

Source: Star of Mysore, DT. July 28, 2013.