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MESMERISING KAILASH-MANSAROVAR
Hi, friends I found an article penned by Nidhi Agrawal on Kailash-Mansarovar in our daily newspaper, could not control myself by sharing with you, guys.
Purple mountains, pristine blue waters, the perfect white snow, mesmerising landscapes & serenity in the thin air welcomes you to this God's country.An undiscovered & untouched land Mount Kailash & Mansarovar in Tibet is every traveller's paradise. As soon as one reaches Kathmandu & starts transcending towards Tibet, one gets a sense of how exciting this journey shall be. After crossing the Nepal Chinese border we enter into Tibet where the local land cruiser play the traditional Chinese folk songs; well communicating with locals is surely not easy.
As one ascending to the higher altitudes in Tibet, the air becomes thinner & breathing difficult yet the myraid landscapes are truly breathtaking literally. We come across the beautiful small towns of Nyalam, Dongpa, Saga where one can hire decent & cheap accommodations & stay overnight. Altitude sickness & dizziness are a common phenomenon but once you look at the 'painting like world' you will let that pass.
A few days of ascending into Tibet & finally your body shall become friendly with the altitude. Located in the far reaches of Western Tibet, just north of India & Nepal, is one of the most sacred mountains in the world, Mt Kailash. For the 2000 years, people from all parts of India,the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal, Kashmir & Ladakh, Central Asia & from even further have devotedly as well as adventurously made the journey to Kailash.
Lying to the south of Mt Kailash are 2 lakes. The western lake is known as 'Rakshas tal'. However to its neighboring lake to the east, Mansarovar, is by far the most significant of the two in the spiritual sense. Lake Mansarovar is frequented by pilgrims almost as often as Mt Kailash, & it is associated with many myths & religions.
The limpid blue to the emerald green colors of the lake in contrast to the arid landscape immediately around it & the silver mountains beyond make the lake a highly praised destination for pilgrims. Lake Mansarovar is at an altitude of 14,950 ft above sea level, & is noted as the highest body of fresh water in the world.
For many travellers the very sight of Mt Kailash & the sacred lake Mansarovar has been an emotional journey for its sheer magnificence & aura. It is believed that the journey to this sacred abode is a spiritual journey of discovering one's own being.There is no place powerful for practice more blessed, or more marvellous than their abode of God.
The 'Parikrama' starts around Mt Kailash is a 3 day long & 52 km trek that passes through some some of the most secluded regions of Tibet. There are Yaks & Porters to help the pilgrims through this rough terrain. The trek trail is usually pretty straight with occasional valleys & troughs. The testing factor is the chilly winds, lack of oxygen & highly unpredictable weather. One only needs to pray that there are no rains as we need to cross a river & walk on snow patches for several kms.
The 'Parikrama' starts from Yamadwar & crosses many beautiful places on the way. There is Shivatsal- a place where pilgrims leave some of their belongings as offerings. Gouri Kund (5608 mts) is a group of 5 small kunds of different shapes containing emerald green water. It is also called 'the lake of compassion' where Parvati would go to bathe. Further the various faces of Mt Kailash are truly special in their own ways the west face, the north face & the south face.
On needs to be in a healthy state of mind & body for this may prove to be on e of the most challenging experiences ever. However the satisfaction of having 'been there & done that' is beyond words. One needs to experience it & know what it is like 'to skip a heartbeat' at the most spectacular sight. One should always remember to spend a night or two at the most beautiful Mansarovar lake. The lake's beauty grows on to you with each passing moment & one just feels like gaping at it for long as forever.
Whatever be one's motivation - adventurous or religious, the Kailash-Mansarovar Sojourn is an experience of a life-time & surely brings one closer understanding own self.
As is the belief the truth of life is incomplete without self-discovery;
'Satyam Shivam Sundaram' - Truth is Eternal & Beautiful.
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
