Kailas Manas Sarovar Yatra series - 9

Was it a dream?!

Even now, at the time of writing this, I recall that experience. What was it that I had gone through? How do I describe it to my folks at home? Was it just about the hardships of an adventurous trekking that I am going to narrate? Or about the beautiful landscape? Or about being able to reach the abode of gods and goddesses? Or about securing a place in the list of those luckiest people who could unload all their sins? Any attempt to give a description of that experience would fail. The pain of giving birth to a baby could not be explained in words, just like the joy of touching the feet new born baby. Whatever may be the name of that place…..I call it the womb….womb of the infinite-the unbound-the formless-the nameless-the omnipresent-the un-manifested in the manifested universe. 

 

We had very little time to spend on the top of Drolma La. Neema hurried us to move on. It might turn out to be fatal for vulnerable people. I rushed to my camera, took a few snaps. I was unable to hold the camera, hands were shaking. Entire valley was covered with fog. Colorful prayer flags had provided wonderful contrast against the background of snow covered valley. We had to move from there, we started descending on the opposite side.

While descending, we saw the Gauri Kund. It is a small pool of water that is supposed to be the place where goddess Parvati (Gauri) is said to have done penance for Lord Shiva. It is situated on a bit lower altitude than the Drolma La. We crossed a frozen river stream after that. After about half an hour we descended and reached the plains of a river stream. We stopped at a tiny restaurant like thing to have our packed lunch consisting biscuits, fruits and bread. We had to complete, again about 22 km trek to reach our camp at Zutulpuk. However, it was on a plain path we had to walk by the side of an unnamed river stream.

Gauri Kund (image credit: Prajna LS)

Ponies had arrived there already with their masters for those who had booked. A fellow traveler, he was the youngest of all in our team, was suffering from severe sickness. He was brought to the camp in an ambulance later. It was a terrific walk. I was lagging behind. I had no energy left to walk. Luckily, looking at my condition, Neema Sherpa and also Veerbahadur Sherpa took great care of me till I could reach the camp. The cute looking Veerbahadur used to cheer me up in between, he made me to drink glucose water, asked me to sit and take rest and made me to move again…like a kind friend.

I recall it was like a walk in the oblivion, as if it were a sleep walk. I was feeling very drowsy. It is a symptom of altitude sickness. In that delusive state of mind I had tried to recall the faces of our elder team mates one by one. Then, realized they were on ponies. Huh. But, not all were. Narayan uncle and the father of Doctor Shailaja were also coming by foot. No idea how they were, where they were…Veer Bahadur cheered, “We have almost reached, don’t worry”. He was just consoling my mind, I know.

It was raining by the time we reached. Must be around 7.30 pm we had reached. My folks at the camp were worried for me. They didn’t know for whom the ambulance was sent. Veerbahadur held my hand in a majestic way and dropped me at the door of our allotted room where my folks had been resting!! I just threw out my shoes, rain coat and jacket and lied on my bed, I was drenched in sweat.

Third day!

Next day morning we walked for about 2-3 hours. It was damn easy compared to the second day! We were feeling very light and were excited. It was drizzling and after sometime we could see tiny-tiny snow flakes settling on our rain coats. The entire valley looked fabulous. I told my aunt that we are blessed by Bhagwan through snowfall!

There is a small mound to mark the completion of Kailas Parikrama. We reached there and it was the end of our great venture. We could see our vehicles at that point. Drove back to Darchen, and after lunch the group proceeded towards Saga. From saga we came to Nyalam and from Nyalam we crossed the Friendship Bridge (at Kodari) again to reach Kathmandu.

When I reflect upon this particular experience of mine, all seems like a dream. A dream sent by the ‘un-manifested spirit’ to illustrate the hardships of realising the ‘sublime’. 

image credit: Prajna LS