Kailash Manasarovar: A Journey to the Navel of the Earth

By Dinesh Rathod / December 19, 2023

In the northern part, there is a mighty mountain by the name of Himalaya.

अस्त्युत्तरस्यां दिशि देवतात्मा हिमालयो नाम नगाधिराजः। पूर्वापरौ तोयनिधीव ग्राह्यः स्थितः पृथिव्या इव मानदण्डः॥ –कुमारसम्भव १/१

“In the northern part, there is a mighty mountain by the name of Himalaya. The abode of perpetual snow, fittingly called the Lord of Mountains, animated by divinity as its soul and internal spirit.Spanning the wide land from the eastern to the western sea, he stands as it were like the measuring rod of the earth.”

The poem by Kalidasa aptly describes the mighty Himalayas, encompassing one of its sacred peak the Mount Kailash, which forms a part of the Trans-Himalaya in the Tibet Autonomous Region China. It is considered a sacred mountain in four religions: Bon, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. It is also called Kang Rinpoche in Tibetan and Kangrinboqe in Chinese. For some, it is “Mount Meru” and for others, it is “the navel of the earth” or the “axis of existence.”

It is said that man should realize Kailash in self, which is metaphoric to awakening your Kundalini (Sanskrit: कुण्डलिनी) energy from the base chakra, Muladhar (Sanskrit: मूलाधार), and getting to the seventh chakra, Sahasrara (Sanskrit: सहस्रार). Geographically, the Mount Kailash in Tibet is the seventh Chakra and Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India, is the base chakra. On the south side of Kailash lies the Lake Manasarovar.

It is one of the holy places where the manifestation of the supreme power is perceptible. Also, most of the people are unaware that Manasarovar is a Shakti Peetha (Sanskrit: शक्ति पीठ) and is known as Dakshayani (Sanskrit: दक्षयानी means Goddess Durga). This was the place where the right arm of the Devi fell. The entire area vibrates with spiritual waves as there are many invisible saints doing meditation on these holy banks.

The Holy Manasarovar is considered as the mother and the Holy Kailash as the father.Having read a lot about Kailash Manasarovar, I always felt attracted towards this holy shrinea sort of a magnetic pull. It was even more enticing to learn that the secret city called Gyanganj (Shambhala/Shangri-La) was somewhere near Kailash.

The city is revered owing to the presence of its head, Mahatapa Babaji, also known as Mahaavatar Babaji, Guru Gorakhnath, or Guru Babaji. Babaji was first introduced to the world in Paramhansa Yogananda’s book, The Autobiography of a Yogi, and is said to have been alive for over the past 1,800 years.

Finally, in the year 2019, came an opportunity to visit the destination of a lifetime. It is said that it is only when he beckons that you are allowed to embark on a journey to such a divine place. The first step of the trip was to apply for the group Chinese Visa to visit Tibet as the trip to Kailash Manasarovar can only be done in a group.

Post obtaining the visa, the group proceeded to Tibet as per the itinerary, though there are various routes to visit the Kailash region. The Government of India also arranges the Kailash Manasarovar yatra via the below two routes:

• The first route is through Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand; the journey duration from this route is around 24 days and it costs about ₹ 1.8 lakhs.

• The second one is through Nathula Pass in Sikkim; the journey duration from this route is around 21 days and it costs about ₹ 2.5 lakhs.

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Apart from this, there are other routes that are taken up by private players. Some of them are as follows:

• Kathmandu–Nepalgunj–Simicot–Hilsa–Taklakot

• Kathmandu–Timure–Keyrong–Saga–Darchen

• Lhasa–Shigatse–Saga–Darchen

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We took the second route for our journey.

Kathmandu (Nepal)

Our journey began from Kathmandu. After reaching in the afternoon, we took some rest and in the evening visited the Pashupatinath Temple. The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Shiva. It is a norm to seek his blessings for a successful trip to Kailash Manasarovar. The tradition of the temple has been to select the main priest or Rawal from Karnataka. The prerequisites of priests are as follows: he must be chosen from a group of scholars educated by Shankaracharya of Sringeri, Karnataka, well versed in Rigveda recitation and Shiva Agamas, have learned the recitation of the Samaveda from Haridwar and learned Pashupata Yoga from Shree Kashi Math, Mangalore, Karnataka. Any priest who fulfils all the above-mentioned criteria undergoes strict assessment and is finally selected as the main priest by the Raj Guru of the Pashupatinath Temple.

The main Shiva temple has four doors. Of them, one that faces the Nandi opens in the morning at 4 am and closes at 12 pm. It opens again at 5 pm and remains open until 9 pm. The remaining three doors open in the evening at 6.30 pm for the crowd to go close to sanctum sanctorum (the Holy almighty). The line is formed 30 minutes prior to going inside. The puja is performed from 6.30 pm to 7 pm which is the main attraction of the temple.

Furthermore, about 1–2 km from the Pashupatinath Temple is a Devi temple called Guhyeshwari Temple, which is a Shakti Peetha. According to mythological beliefs, the knees of the Devi had fallen here. It is said that the trip to the Pashupatinath Temple is not complete until you visit the Devi temple to seek her blessings. The temple has strong spiritual vibrations which you will experience by spending some time meditating in its premises.

Timure (Nepal)

The next day was quite hectic, as our group flew in a chopper to Timure, which is a border area of Nepal and China. The road from Kathmandu to Timure is laden with potholes and hence it takes about 7–8 hours to reach. It is, therefore, preferable to take a chopper, which takes only 20 min.

At Kathmandu airfield with a Sherpa

The flight operations start at 7.30 AM and around 20 min later, you will find yourself in Timure. This border town is next to a raging river and is a mountainous area. There is only a single road leading to Nepal’s border with China, which makes it quite narrow. You can witness trucks loaded goods transporting from Nepal to China and vice versa, which mostly occupy the road.

Gyirong (Tibet)

We walked about a kilometre from the landing area in Timure to the Chinese border, where we got our bags checked from officials. Post checking, we proceeded to the Resuo Bridge and walked to immigration. It took us just about 10–15 min per person to get our fingerprints scanned and our passport validated before entering China. Four buses were waiting for us to take us to Gyirong (also called Keyrong). Gyirong is just about an hour’s drive from the border area of Timure and China. The town is elevated at about 3,000 m above the sea level.

We reached Gyirong by late afternoon and checked in at the hotel. Thankfully, we had a guide along with us who could speak both Tibetan and Mandarin as the language poses a big challenge in China. Anyway, our stay in Gyirong was for two days as we had to acclimatize for going to a higher altitude. There are not many things to see in Gyirong except a quiet little Buddhist Monastery. It is usually a quaint little town with mostly hotels, restaurants or shops.

Saga (Tibet)

After having acclimatized ourselves for two days, we started off for a town called Saga by a bus. We drove up the mountains followed by plains with a splendid picturesque view of the Lake Pieko Tso. We crossed the river Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) on the way. The driving distance from Keyrong to Saga is about 380 km. The landscape of Tibet is really beautiful. You get mesmerized while driving. There are huge mountains, grasslands and streams that provide a breath-taking view. The beauty of this place is unparalleled. We reached Saga after a 7-hour drive.

The Landscape of Tibet

Saga is a bustling town as most of the routes converge here and the way to Manasarovar actually begins from here. This town has supermarkets, restaurants and big hotels. Most of our group members bought things from here such as flasks, chocolates, fruits, walking sticks and so on, considering that this would be the last stop before arriving at Manasarovar. We had a day’s stop here. We stayed at a beautiful hotel with modern facilities, which was a huge relief.

Manasarovar (Tibet)

The next day was a hectic trip of about 10–11 hours to Manasarovar. On the way, our eyes were feasted yet again with picturesque glimpses of the wayside as we came across small streams converging with big streams, rivers, big mountains, large flocks of sheep grazing, etc. It was a beautiful journey, albeit tiring. We reached Manasarovar late in the evening and were directly transported to electric buses, as the buses that run on fossil fuels are not allowed to proceed further. These buses took us for parikrama (circumambulation) around the Lake. It took us close to 90 min to complete the parikrama of the Manasarovar Lake

 Manasarovar Lake on Full Moon day

While travelling, one gets to experience different hues along the lake in the evening. We also had our first glimpse of the Mount Kailash from here.Our stay was arranged at the Parmarth Ashram for two days as there was a grand puja arranged near Manasarovar the next day. This ashram is right on the banks of Manasarovar. If you are accustomed to modern comforts, this place is not for you. It lacks modern amenities, including washrooms. There is a monastery nearby, called Chu Gompa, situated on the top of a hill, which one can visit.

The next day was planned to take a dip in the Lake Manasarovar. However, taking a dip in the Lake is prohibited by the government. We were, therefore, provided with buckets full of water from Manasarovar, which we poured on ourselves standing on the banks. If you still force a dip in the Lake, the Tibetan people will throw stones on you forcing you get out of the water. Some people still go further along the banks of the lake and manage a dip. The government has drones keeping a watch along the banks of the lake.

Hence, it is advisable not to take a risk. Also, the temperature here changes quickly and it is advisable to wear warm clothes through the day. After finishing our puja and spending three days in Manasarovar, we proceeded to Darchen.

Darchen (Tibet)

Darchen is a hour’s drive from Manasarovar Lake. We stayed at a lovely 4-star hotel , which had all the modern luxuries and was a tremendous relief to get back from our primitive facilities at Parmarth Ashram.The next day started with an early breakfast, and then we all proceeded to Yama Dwar by a bus. As the name suggests, Yama is the ‘god of death’ and hence this is also called the Portal of Death as one has to go through this Chorten before entering Shiva’s home. It is said that anyone who passes through this gets free from the shackles of life and death. The local tradition dictates that one has to make three parikramas of this small chorten, enter the door and leave some personal belonging inside the door. Also, one should not turn back to look at Yam Dwar and should proceed directly for Dirapuk.

Yama Dwar (Tibet)

The parikrama of Kailash starts from Yam Dwar and the pony/porter can be rented from this place. It is highly advisable to take both as, during the yatra, if you face any trouble in carrying your bag or walking along the way, you will not get any pony or porter in between. Remember that the altitude of Kailash ranges from 15,000 to 18,000 ft, and even a small bag will feel heavy. All the more, one should help these Tibetan porters or ponies by hiring them as they are considered the “Ganas of Shiva,” and this is the only season for them to earn. This way you are helping them sustain for winters without any work available to them.

The Porter and Pony handler

Please note that the allocation of porter and pony happens through a lottery system, and once allocated, they will NOT get changed whatsoever till the trip is over. The porter fee is about 1,100 (~₹ 11,000) yuan and the pony charge is 2,400 yuan (~₹ 24,000), making it a total of 3,500 yuan (~₹ 35,000) (all rates as per the year 2019). While walking, you have to be careful about the pony/porter, a lot of time the porters walk faster and leave you behind. He can then found at the major stops along the way only. Even the pony and the person handling it sometimes disappear. You have to be prepared for this and carry a small bag with water bottle/hydration bag and some eatables/basic medicines so that you are not left stranded.

After doing the rituals at Yam Dwar, the journey starts for the next destination, which is Dirapuk. It is about 12 km from Yam Dwar. It is advisable to start early. It takes close to 5–6 hours depending on one’s speed. On the way, you walk parallel to the Lha Chu river. Chu means water and Lha means god. Together Lha Chu means the water of gods, river of gods or the divine river.

The parikrama of Kailash lasts three days and is done in a clockwise direction by the Hindus and Buddhists, while those belonging to the ancient Bon Po religion do it in the anti-clockwise direction. The Tibetans do the parikrama by measuring the entire path around the sacred mountain by prostrating their body. During the parikrama period, the Tibetans survive on Tsampa (roasted barley flour or sattu) and chant mantras. In the year 1027 AD, Pandit Somnath, a Vedic scholar from Kashmir, introduced the Tibetans to the Brihaspati cycle of 60 years. Each 60-year cycle consist of five sub-cycles, namely Fire, Earth, Iron, Water and Wood. Each year each sub-cycle is given a name after one of the 12 animals: dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, rabbit, dog, pig, rat, ox and tiger. Once in every 12 years, the ‘year of the horse’ is considered very auspicious, as the parikrama during this year is supposed to bestow god graces/blessings on us equal to 13 parikramas done in an ordinary year. The people who do 13 parikramas are also entitled to do Kailash Inner Kora. The Inner Kora (parikrama) is special kora among Hindu, Bon, Buddhist and Jain pilgrimages. The recent ‘horse year’ was 2014 and the next one will be in 2026.

Moving ahead about 3–4 km from Yam Dwar, you come across a monastery high up in the rocky mountains called the Choku Monastery. You can also see the west face of Kailash opposite to this monastery. The Choku Monastery is built on a mountain called Nyenri, which means the “Palace of the Son of God.” It was named in respect of a man of God, who came to this valley a long time ago, before human settled in Tibet. His name was Nyen. He was very wise and “glowed like fire,” as per Tibetan folklore. The son of God liked him very much and told him that he could make a Gompa (monastery) in his palace. As per the locals, the son of God’s Tibetan name is Sanagpa. His father was supposed to be Demchok and mother Tara. The river Lha Chu is also his mother. Accompanied by thousands of gods and goddesses, he resides here. With the permission of Sanagpa, in the beginning of time, Nyen built this Gompa.

If we search the Hindu Vedic scriptures, this description matches the elder son of Shiva, Lord Kartikeya. In the scriptures, it is so mentioned that the sage Sanat Kumara was born as the son of Shiva and Parvati. Just as Lha Chu is also the mother of Sanat Kumara in the Tibetan tradition, the Ganga is said to be his mother in the Vedic tradition. Hence, it can be concluded that Sanagpa is Sanat Kumara because another name of Sanat Kumara is Sanakpada, and it is a standard practice in the languages spoken in Tibet, Bhutan and eastern parts of India to drop last letter, which makes it Sanakpa.

Choku Gompa

So the Lha Chu river is the river Ganga and the mountain on which Choku Gompa is situated is the palace of her son, Sanagpa (Sanat Kumara/Lord Kartikeya/Murugan). The sage who came and glowed like fire was Sage Angira, as the scriptures describe. Through his tapasya (meditation), he glowed like fire, which is why he is known as Angira (shining like fire). He is said to be one of the “Sapta Rishis.”

Also, as stated earlier, you can see the west face of Kailash opposite to this monastery. While looking at the west face of Kailash, you can see the Rocky Mountains alongside. On one of the mountains, you can see a carved rectangular-shaped door–type structure, which is said to be the portal to Shambhala/Shangri-La / Gyanganj as written in a Russian book by Dr Ernst Muldeshev. The carved door is supposed to open only to people who are completely pure.

West face of Kailash and Portal to Gyanganj

Dirapuk (Tibet)

After travelling for about 5–6 hours, you reach Dirapuk. If the weather is clear , you can catch a beautiful view of the north face of Kailash from the Dirapuk rest house. This is also the place to stay for the night before proceeding the next day. Early morning here, you can catch a glimpse of the rays of sunlight on Kailash which makes it look golden.

Zuthulphuk (Tibet)

The second day being the toughest, you should sleep early to get the maximum rest. The second day trek is about 25 km, and you have to go through Dolma Pass, which is at about an altitude of 18,000 ft and then descend steeply to Zuthulphuk which is at a height of 15,000 ft. On the way, you come across the Gauri Kund where, according to the mythological beliefs, the Goddess Tara/Parvati had meditated for Demchok or the Lord Shiva. You can go down to the Kund to collect water; however, it can take anything between 1 and-2 hours, going and coming. Most of the people generally prefer to ascend Dolma Pass on the pony (except a few tough souls who prefer to walk) but you have to get down and walk during descent. The second-day stop is at Zuthulphuk.The third day is relatively easy with a distance of 14 km, and the exit from the valley can be reached within 3-4 hours.

The path of Circumambulation (Parikrama) of Kailash

At the ending point of the valley, a bus will be waiting to drive you back to Darchen.All in all, we were able to complete our Kailash Manasarovar Yatra in 14 days.

ॐ श्री साई चन्द्रमौलेश्वर, पाहिमं रक्षमम्।