For thousands of years, Vedic Sanatanadhri, Jain and Buddhist Matavalambi have been doing the world’s most ancient and inaccessible Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. This journey is also mentioned in Mahabharata.
The Nirvana site of the first Jain Tirthankara Rishabhdev is here at a place called Ashtapada, which is at the plant point of Mount Kailas. Neelkanth Varni, the founder of the Swaminarayan sect, visited Kailas in February 1793. Guru Nanak also went on this journey. Gurdwara Patthar Saheb, associated with Guru Nanak’s visit near Leh, is under the supervision of the Indian Army.
There was a time when those who went on a journey to Kailas used to go by doing their shraddha-off because it was not believed that he would come back. In Marathi, the word ‘Kailaswasi’ is used for heavenly. Before the 1962 Chinese invasion, there were more than 10 routes from India to the Kailas Yatra- such as Demchhok from Leh, Shipki La in Himachal, beyond Badrinath, via Vasudhara, Munsari from Munsari by Milam Glacier Marg and Dharchula-Lipu Legis and Nathu from Sikkim.
After the 1962 war, the journey from Indian routes was closed by China, which resumed in 1981 with Atal ji’s efforts, which remained closed for two years after the Chinese attack in the Galwan in the current decade and resumed this year. The journey that has been going on for more than thousands of years is under the control of an ‘Amitra’ country- who has now banned bathing in Mansarovar for the first time (in the name of stopping pollution) and allowed to bring only 10 liters of water there. This is the same as bathing in Haridwar or Prayag Sangam in the name of pollution.
Mention found in every book
The description of Mansarovar is found in our tribunals. Ramayana, Mahabharata, all the Puranas- especially in Skandpurana, have a beautiful description. There is also a beautiful description in Banabhata’s Kadambari, Raghuvansh of Kalidasa and Kumarasambhavam, Sanskrit and Pali’s Buddhist texts. In Buddhist texts, it is said to be unique or infinite, which is beyond heat and suffering. It has been called Padmasar in Jain texts. It is Kailas to the north, Gurla Mandhata in the south, the demon tal in the west.
The waves of Mansarovar are very strong, but the water is so pure that the bottom stones shine. The famous monk scientist Swami Pranavananda went on a Kailas journey 21 times with the help of Dr. Sampurnananda, the then Governor of Uttar Pradesh, measured the depth of Mansarovar through a special boat and proved that the Ganges originated in Mansarovar and his underhradha comes out in Gaumukh.
This journey is indescribable, wordless- Hindus wait for this journey for many years. Kailas Mansarovar is the largest ascites in the world- from here, Sutlej, Karnali, Indus, Mekong (East Asian Apabhramsa of the Ganges), Brahmaputra originates. This is an infinite store of minerals and medicinal herbs. In the terrible winter (December to March), the Vedic monks have been seen walking at Mansarovar covered by snow and doing spiritual practice in a cloth. A large number of passengers also go through the Nepal route and now China has built Gusa Airport near Mansarovar, from which many passengers come from abroad via Beijing-Lhasa.
Lottery written unforgettable opportunity
From Lipulekh Marg (a total of 27 days), each passenger usually has to do trekking 35 km from Nathu La Marg (Total 12 days travel)- passengers are also health check-ups on the middle route and many times unwell passengers are sent back from the middle. Applications are made to the Ministry of External Affairs in May every year- lottery is the name selection process. Then the application is accepted by ITBP in Delhi only when the health check is correct. Only 750 passengers are allowed to go through both routes- 250 from Uttarakhand and the remaining 500 from Nathu La route. Shafi -ul -Rabi, Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs for many years, has been in -charge of this journey. When I first went in 1992, a total of Rs 25,000 (including Chinese visa and system fee) was spent, which has now increased to two and a half to three lakh rupees per passenger. Some states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu also provide grants to Kailas travelers of their state. The Delhi government provides housing facility in Delhi’s stay in Delhi (it was started by the then Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma during the Prime Minister of Atal ji).
The journey is fulfilled by the grace of Shiva
Reaching the darshan of Mount Kailas seems to be a dream. Till date, no state power has allowed ascension on Mount Kailas, as honoring religious reverence. The Tibetan Buddhists are a real symbol of Shraddha who revolve around Kailas and Mansarovar. Bholenath is blessed for this extremely difficult circumambulation. The climb of Dolma La Pass does not seem less than Sagarmatha. There is also a tantric ritual of Tara Devi on this mountain peak. From here, there is a divine vision of Gauri Kunda. Calling from Kailas Parikrama back from Mansarovar-Tarchen, the great yogi Milarepa cave also comes in the route but not allowed to go there. We somehow visited there. The essential part of Indus Saraswati civilization originates in this region of Indus River. Between the two hills, a rhinestone dark blue reservoir is a demon rhythm, also called Ravana-Hrid. Its water is not considered suitable for achman or bathing nor is there any worship here.
Yes, by bathing in Mansarovar, there is a law of chanting Arghya to Sun- Gayatri Mantra and Mahamrityunjaya Mantra. Just in front of Jyotirup Shivling shaped iceberg. Neela sky- Nothing around, only one uninterrupted Shiva form- the best of the Lord’s best-known Lord, the Kailas mountain appears. When we went, the first philosophy had made the speechless. Silence was spread everywhere. Everyone is silent by paying obeisance. Run and returned and wrapped. My shoulders became wet with their lovers- nothing was made at all- the throat was strangled. This experience was no less than Prabhidarshan. Like dialogue with Sakshat Shiva!
Three -hearted area
Tibet has been a partner of Indian Manisha and spirituality since ancient times. Its name is derived from Sanskrit ‘Trivishtap’ – which means three heavens. Trivishtap is mentioned in the Rigveda. The language of Tibet came out of Bhot- Prakrit and Pali and the medical system there is pure Ayurveda. In Tibet, Buddhist opinion was propagated in the seventh century by Guru Padmasambhava and Acharya Shanta Rakshit. China tried to eradicate the entire heritage of the Pujya Dalai Lama by grabbing Tibet, Chinese to the names of the villages and millions of Han people changed the population balance by settling in Tibet from the mainland.
Shiva meets three routes
Kailas Mansarovar is the world’s most beautiful and most difficult pilgrimage. About 865 km from Delhi, this area is a very beautiful, indescribable natural Sushma route, from where Om Parvat is also seen. The yatra is completed in 27 days, passing through Dharchula, Gabyang, Gunji, Lipulekh of Uttarakhand. The second route passes through Nathu La (Sikkim). All this path can be decided with trains. While the first route is half -footed, half trains. There is also a journey through Nepal- in which Kathmandu to Lhasa air route and then from Pajero vehicles/Kathmandu to Kailas is caused by helicopter or road. In the journey route, there is such a glacier on the shiny mountain peak like Om Parvat in the Nabi Dhang, a thousand forms of greenery, a thousand forms of greenery, ahead of Dharchula. Passengers remain fascinated by this scene!
(Former Rajya Sabha MP and ‘Kailas Mansarovar Yatra: Author of the book Dialogue from Sakshat Shiva)