TRAVELOGUE PART 4 – PRISTINE MANSAROVAR TO RUGGED YAM DWAR

It was drizzling when we reached the reception of Mansarovar. This place had excellent washrooms and a picture gallery. Our credentials were checked by the authorities and our

Mansarovar reception

vehicle was allowed to proceed towards the parikrama track. Only some part of this track was metallic road, but mostly we were driving on rocks and pebbles. The lake appeared divine with Tibetan prayer flags and customary rock piles all around. The bus was not allowed to stop everywhere for protecting the eco system all around the lake.

Mansarovar is a 410 square Km freshwater lake with maximum depth of 90 meters and at an altitude of 4,590 meters or 15,060 feet it is the highest freshwater lake in the world. Tibetans call it Mapam Yumptsu. To the west of this holy lake is Rakshash Taal, which is a salt water lake where Ravana did his Shiva tapasya and to the north is Mount Kailash. Mansarovar is almost round in shape with a circumference of 88 Km and is connected to the Rakshash Tal by a natural Ganga Chhu channel. Mansarovar is the source of Sutlej, Brahmaputra, Indus or Sindhu and Karnali or Ghagra rivers. Hindus are of the opinion that the river was first created in the mind of Lord Brahma and then it manifested on earth, hence the name Mana Sarovar!

Lake Mansarovar

The lake is majestically calm and dignified like a huge bluish green emerald or a pure turquoise set between the two mighty and equally majestic silver mountains, the Kailas on the north and the Gurla Mandhata on the south and between the sister lake Rakshas Tal or Ravan Harda on the west and some hills on the east. The beauty is breathtaking and the serenity is stunning. Stretching majestically over an extensive cradle of the Tibetan plateau and hanging at a heavenly height above the sea-level the beauty of this calm water was unreal. We were dreaming with our eyes open and imagining with our eyes closed what a thrilling and magnificent experience it would be in winter when the whole lake freezes hard, and again in spring when the ice breaks and melts to clear blue waters. One could also imagine that on full moon nights, with the full moon overhead, the scene will be simply indescribable.

Lake Mansarovar

We didn’t realize when it stopped drizzling and when the sun peaked out of the cloud cover. Lopsang told us that at sunset the whole of the Kailas range on the north becomes a fiery region all of a sudden, throwing an observer into a trance, and by the time he returns to consciousness he sees only the Silvery Peak in front. Today we were not so lucky as clouds were covering the Kailash ranges in the north. There are a few monasteries on the shore of the lake and most striking of all is the ancient Chiu Gompa Monastery, which has been built right onto a steep hill. The holy Manasarovar region provides fine caves, camping ground and good sites to tourists. At certain places the site is rocky or sandy.

We did the parikrama of this holy lake by our bus and it eventually stopped at a designated place where we were allowed to do our puja and take a dip. The ever energetic Hyderabadi

trio stripped down to bare essentials and were first to enter the water.

The holy dip in Mansarovar

Puja near the holy lake

They were followed by Ghule and then almost everybody including Sharmila and Smita had a dip. Even Nagu, who was so sick in the morning, was pink in health and managed a dip.  Bhaskar, Venu and Shyamsunder then wore a dhoti and with their bare chests braving the cold they did puja for almost an hour. The atmosphere was serene and all of us filled our bottles with the holy water of Mansarovar, which was crystal clear. Some of us gathered rocks from the lake floor and shivering in the cold we were back in our bus.

Shortly thereafter we stopped at Rakshash Taal and did some photography. The two lakes represent the solar and the lunar forces respectively. The inner consciousness of man (the solar force) is often compared to the Manasarovar Lake. When the thoughts of the mind are filtered out and the mind (Manas in Sanskrit) is blanked by meditation then the awareness of a higher conscious, our Atma is felt. The crescent lake, Rakastal partakes of the lunar or dark forces and this is reflected in the name which comes from Rakshasas or demons; beings who are totally under the sway of the lower desires and impulses (Bhog and Vilas, the lunar force).

Rakshash Taal

After a brief stopover at Rakshash Taal we were back in our bus and off we went to Dharchen, which was still 110 Km away! This road trip was through the mountain passes on uneven pebbled roads but the scenery outside with snow capper mountain ranges as far as the eyes can see was simply superb. Though it was getting late by the clock, almost 7.30 PM but this was Beijing time, a good 2 hours ahead, and so it felt like 5 PM.

Typical Tibetan prayer offerings near the holy lake - heaps of stone, Yak horns, bones and prayer flags

Darchen,Tarchan or Taqin is a small village in Purang County of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It is situated right in front of the sacred Mount Kailash. Its altitude is 4,575 meters (15,010 ft) and is the starting point for pilgrimages in the region.  It was previously known as Lhara and still signposted as such. It was previously an important sheep station for nomads and their flocks and had only two permanent buildings; only one of which survived the Cultural Revolution and is now used to house Tibetan pilgrims. The village has very basic amenities but because of the regular influx of pilgrims and mountaineers there are some good hotels and eateries. 

When  we reached our hotel, Himalaya Kailash Hotel, it was dark. By the time we checked into our rooms and checked out the hotel itself our cooks invited us to a hot cup of masala chai in the hotel dining hall. We were all tired but very excited because finally we were ready for our Kailash parikrama, which started the next day. Lopsang la was not going to accompany us but we were designated a new guide, Karma. Nagu was feeling better but he was not confident to go any further, so it was decided that he would rest in this hotel and rest till we return. Karma our guide for Kailash parikrama, was also not willing to take Sharmila along because she too was not in the best of health but Lopsang la prevailed and she was firmly entrenched in our team.

Dinner was elaborate as usual, this time with a sweet dish kalajam added to the main course. The soup was exceptional. For the parikrama or ‘kora’ we were advised to carry a very small bag with bare minimum clothes, some food stuff, our medicines, sanitary essentials and a water bottle so that the weight is around 5 Kg. We had to tell Lopsang la who needed a pony and who needed a porter. Our Hyderabadi trio wanted neither, whereas all of us wanted porters and Sharmila, Smita, Ravi, Sudipta and I opted for ponies. It was also decided that we will complete the parikrama in two days and not three. We will make a night stop in Dhirapuk but instead of spending the second night in Zuthulpuk we will come back to Dharchen. Karma assured us that it will be possible if we start early from Dhirapuk the next morning and if the weather remains favorable. All set, it was time to retire. Only the lobby of the hotel had Wi-Fi connectivity and so we spent some time in the lobby messaging our wellbeing to our friends and relatives and sending them some stunning photographs of Mansarovar and the surroundings.

September 23, 2016. Today morning we had an early shower and we insulated ourselves inlayers to fight the biting cold. Duffel bags were out at 7 AM and we had our breakfast by 7.30 AM. Bhaskar, Venu and Shyamsunder were not going to go with us. They went ahead early as they planned to do some Puja in the banks of the sacred Choi River, which flows down the Dhirapuk valley. They however promised that they will catch up with us in Dhirapuk. We took a walk around the hotel and filtering out of cloud cover in the North we had our first darshan of Mount Kailash!  

Off the bus and preparing for the kora at Yam Dwar

Our bus left the hotel for a 10 Km drive to the starting point of our parikrama, Yam Dwar and Nagu came along with us. We reached our destination within half an hour. Yam Dwar was the starting point of a rugged terrain and had a vast patch of flat land where our bus stopped and from where our Kailash parikrama was about to start. It was a wonderful sunny morning with no hint of any cloud and no possibility of any snowfall in the next two days. Our cooks now became our porters and carried our bags. We were charged 800 Yuan for porters and 1,900 Yuan for the ponies.


Tanmay, Ghule, Sri, Rajiv and Shyam were trekking all the way and so were asked to proceed with their porters. Our ponies were waiting and we were now introduced to our ponies and their masters.

Ponies and their masters 

We were not allowed to choose our ponies but a lottery decided that.  My pony was shiny chestnut brown coloured and his master was a smiling Tibetan guy called Karma. He had a beardless smooth face and was wearing a cowboy hat for sun protection. His attire was very colourful and he could sing too! We now mounted our ponies, said goodbye to Nagu and Lopsang la and left for the parikrama, which the Tibetans called Kora.