Manasasarovar Yatra 2009

Manasasarovar Yatra 2nd to 13th July 2009

The trip of a lifetime...or many lifetimes - Wow! An Ultimate & A Blissful Yatra.

Manasasarovar

In 1984, Chinese authorities first opened Tibet to the outside world. Today, it is still extremely difficult to reach the region, and the obstacles that people meet in trying to get here are frequently attributed to the sacred power of the mountain itself, which allows only those with sufficient spiritual preparation to gain a glimpse of its magical presence.

Holy Manasarovar in the form of dark blue waters is the most beautiful and highest fresh water lake at around 15,508 ft altitude. Manasarovar is to the south of Kailash mountain. It’s water is very sweet and said to posses medicinal properties. It is about four million years old. In Skanda Purana, it was stated that the lake was created out of Brahma’s mind. Hence it is called Manasa Sarovar. Sanaka, Sanandanna and other maharishis performed tapas here. It is said that Buddha’s mother before Budhdha's birth dreamt about a white elephant from Kailash mountain entering her womb. Daily at Brahma Muhurth time, it is said that Devatas come down and take bath, especially on the northern side. On fullmoon days people see the stars(Devatas) descending into the lake and go back. Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes have been mixed in these waters. It was also said that Arjuna received his pasupathastra here.

It was described in Mahabharata that Bhagavan Krishna went along with the pandavas and Dhoumya Maharshi to Mount Kailas from Badrinath. After fifteen days they reached there and were welcomed by Lord Mahadeva Himself whose darshan and hospitality made them very happy. Hence it well said that Lord Mahadeva gives darshan only to deserving people.

The yatra was indeed memorable with all of us experiencing an inner satisfaction and joy that comes only from truly blessed events. Each yatri to Mt. Kailash and Manasarovar will have unique experiences based on their spiritual inclinations and the grace of the lord at various times during the trips

Overview

Our group consisted of 9 people from various locations in United States. We had expert guidance and travel arrangement from Mr. Babu Sherpa and Mrs. Manila Sherpa of Kailashtours- Kathmandu . Before embarking the main tour, we visited various attractions in Kathmandu including Pashupatinath temple and Swayambhu, Buddha's temple.

On arrival in Kathmandu airport, we were warmly received by our hosts Mr. & Mrs. Babu Sherpa and we were taken to Hyatt Regency hotel. Final briefing/instructions for the trip were given to us on the evening of the 30th June,2009. On July 2nd 2009, we set out our journey to Manasa Sarovar and Kailas Parikrama.

Memorable events

Before planning our trip, our purpose to visit Mt.Kailash is in our beleif that going there with this body itself would be a great achievement. During our first day of parikrama to Mt.Kailash, I had also visualised that what ever written in our puranas, we could see. It was like a movie setting Those are not just mountains ,but symbolic representation of various deities. We saw on Ganesha parvath Ganesha engraved on the mountain. And the most importantly Kailash parvath surrounded between the brown mountains is very big black granite in color with Lord Shiva engraved on it. For clear sighting Shiva engraved on this mountain ,we had to use a binoculars - ( The Face, Eyes, Nose, Mouth and Feet). We saw Lord Shiva in a sitting posture. This is the North face of Mt.Kailash. When we sighted Lord Shiva , we felt that all our tiredness was gone and our dream to visit Mt.Kailash was fulfilled. We thought that we were blessed by Lord Shiva after we saw him in close and clear.

All through during the yatra we were helped a lot by Mrs.Manila Sherpa, our tour leader who accompanied us along with Nepalese cooks and Sherpas. My guide -Mr. Prashant Sherpa helped me a lot during parikrama. I would say that without Mr.Prashant Sherpa's help, it would not be possible for us to complete our parikrama. I pray to god to fulfill all his desires in his life. At start of trip in Nepal we purchased few Rudrakshas and took them to Manasasarovar. During the trip, we mispalced those and thought we lost them,but to our surprise after reaching Nepal, Mr. Prashant Sherpa was able to find those and returned back to us. Getting the Rudrakshas back we thought we were truly blessed by Kailashpathi.

Nepal - The start of our wonderful journey....

The Living goddess Kumari's home

Meeting with the group at Hyatt in Kathmandu

Inside the beautiful Hyatt

Nepal

Nepal's capital city, Kathmandu is very beautiful. It is located at a height 4500 feet above sea level. Kathmandu Valley is believed to have been created out of a primordial lake by the Buddhist saint Manjushree who drained out the waters by slashing a passage in the surrounding hills and made it inhabiltable.When we walk through streets of Kathmandu, we do not realise the truth that we are walking through middle of the Himalaya.

Pashupathinath on the banks of the Vagmati river is one of the holy temples for Hindus. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Pashupathinath is one of the Ashta Moorthies called Yajamana. The temple is of architectural beauty and about 2000 years old. There is a huge 20 feet high Nandi. The main Siva Linga is only 3 feet high and has four faces. One face is pointing to the sky. There are also several other idols in the temple.

Swayambunath Temple: This is Hindu-Buddhist Temple situated on a mountain. It is also called Monkey Temple. One has to climb 400 steps to reach this temple. On a 20 feet stupa like structure, there is a huge Shiva linga, which is again of 45 feet high. The Siva Ling has four faces, on four directions, each face having three eyes.

In the old city of Khantmadu, we can also see the living godess kumari. It is not not alloved to photograph Kumari and we could only see her. We also visited the museum that has Nepalese atrifacts and paintings

Before the trip and after return we stayed for fews days at Hyatt Regency hotel in Kathmandu. We had very comfortable stay there. We enjoyed the delicious food, quiet atmosphere and the nice walking path around the hotel complex.

The above are a few photos taken from Hyatt Regency, Pashupathinath Temple, Swayambhu stupa and the living place of godess kumari and Buddha Neelakanta Temple.

Tibet - The most unique place on earth!

An innocent Tibetan kid

Tibet

Tibet is a rich and beautiful land with an average altitude over 4,000m (13,120ft) above sea level. India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Burma and Kashmir all border Tibet (Now China). Temples and monasteries, lakes and rivers, and mighty snow clad peaks are just a few of the intoxicating wonders to be experienced by adventurous travelers who get the opportunity to visit this land. Buddhism, with a history of some 1,300 years is shaped into a unique form of "Lamaism". Tibet is home to eleven Himalayan mountains over 8,000m (26,240ft). We enjoyed visiting the land rich in mountains, monks, mystery and adventure.

High Altitude: Acclimatization & Sickness

"Climb high, sleep low" - If symptoms increase, go down, down, down!

Traveling at high altitude can be dangerous.......

Almost everyone who travels to Central or Western Tibet will suffer from the effects of altitude.How greatly one is affected by altitude varies from person to person and depends in part on how gradually one has made the ascent into Tibet.Obviously, acclimatization is much more difficult if you fly in than if you drive.The so-called “early mountain sickness” usually develops during the first two or three days at high altitude. Its symptoms include headache, nausea and loss of appetite, sleeplessness, and difficulty breathing. People will be affected in different ways and not all the symptoms need to be present. If you experience some or all of the symptoms, you definitely should not go any higher until they have disappeared.


What is High Altitude?

Altitude is defined on the following scale High (8,000 - 12,000 feet [2,438 - 3,658 meters]), Very High (12,000 - 18,000 feet [3,658 - 5,487 meters]), and Extremely High (18,000+ feet [5,500+ meters]). Since few people have been to such altitudes, it is hard to know who may be affected. There are no specific factors such as age, sex, or physical condition that correlate with susceptibility to altitude sickness. Some people get it and some people don't, and some people are more susceptible than others. Most people can go up to 8,000 feet (2,438 meters) with minimal effect. If you haven't been to high altitude before, it's important to be cautious. If you have been at that altitude before with no problem, you can probably return to that altitude without problems as long as you are properly acclimatized.

Acclimatization


The major cause of altitude illnesses is going too high too fast. Given time, your body can adapt to the decrease in oxygen molecules at a specific altitude. This process is known as acclimatization and generally takes 1-3 days at that altitude. For example, if you hike to 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), and spend several days at that altitude, your body acclimatizes to 10,000 feet (3,048 meters). If you climb to 12,000 feet (3,658 meters), your body has to acclimatize once again. A number of changes take place in the body to allow it to operate with decreased oxygen.

Prevention of Altitude Illnesses

Prevention of altitude illnesses falls into two categories, proper acclimatization and preventive medications. Below are a few basic guidelines for proper acclimatization.

If possible, don't fly or drive to high altitude. Start below 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) and walk up. If you do fly or drive, do not over-exert yourself or move higher for the first 24 hours. If you go above 10,000 feet (3,048 meters), only increase your altitude by 1,000 feet (305 meters) per day and for every 3,000 feet (915 meters) of elevation gained, take a rest day. "Climb High and sleep low." This is the maxim used by climbers. You can climb more than 1,000 feet (305 meters) in a day as long as you come back down and sleep at a lower altitude. If you begin to show symptoms of moderate altitude illness, don't go higher until symptoms decrease (& Don't go up until symptoms go down"). If symptoms increase, go down, down, down! Keep in mind that different people will acclimatize at different rates. Make sure all of your party is properly acclimatized before going higher. Stay properly hydrated. Acclimatization is often accompanied by fluid loss, so you need to drink lots of fluids to remain properly hydrated (at least 3-4 quarts per day). Urine output should be copious and clear. Take it easy; don't over-exert yourself when you first get up to altitude. Light activity during the day is better than sleeping because respiration decreases during sleep, exacerbating the symptoms. Avoid tobacco and alcohol and other depressant drugs including, barbiturates, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills. These depressants further decrease the respiratory drive during sleep resulting in a worsening of the symptoms. Eat a high carbohydrate diet (more than 70% of your calories from carbohydrates) while at altitude. The acclimatization process is inhibited by dehydration, over-exertion, and alcohol and other depressant drugs.


(This information is only for education and awareness only and not a substitute for medical training).


Further Reading Sources:

- http://www.high-altitude-medicine.com/
- www.traveldoctor.co.uk/altitude.html
- www.mountaineering.ie/features/general/highaltitude.html
- www.traveldoctor.co.uk/exposure.html

Manasasarovar Yatra planning

"Get in shape"

It is recommended that you start a moderate training program 6-8 months before departure, and then slowly build up to a more strenuous level. The level of fitness needed for a trekking adventure requires regular aerobic exercise for at least one hour 4 -5 times a week. This may include aerobic fitness classes, running, cycling on hills, swimming and cross country skiing. Additionally, you must be able to sustain exercise for prolonged periods - and for days in a row. Finally, you must have some experience with exercise at altitude.

As part of training, we walked everyday 5 miles around the lake in Minnesota. But walking uphill will also help you to finish your three day parikrama around Mt.Kailash very easily.

Shopping

Items Can Be Purchased From:

You can obtain many items cheaply if purchased at a right time i.e.during sales, on the internet.
Recommended Web Sites:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/
http://www.campmor.com/
http://www.northface.com/
http://www.rei.com/
http://www.llbean.com/
http://www.patagonia.com/
http://www.ems.com/
http://www.gorp.com/ (for guide on buying hiking shoes, sleeping bags, jackets, walking sticks, gloves, clothing-etc)


Shops:

R E I
L.L.bean
Camphor
Sports Authority
Gander mountain

If you have time at Nepal, you also can buy there in Thamel, you can buy branded things here.
You will be surprsied to know what you can get.

My advise is : Do not worry if you do not get to buy these before trip. Ask your tour organisers to take you to Thamel. But you need atleast half a day

Emergency & Insurance:

It is recommended that Travel Insurance be obtained. This should include emergency evacuation by helicopter.If you do not obtain such insurance, you will be liable for any medical expense, helicopter evacuation etc. Though it should not happen, as a smart and cautious traveller you should have one.

Food and Beverage

Organizers will provide vegetarian breakfast and dinner cooked by Sherpas at campsite. They carry all the items from Kathmandu itself. You are advised to bring sufficient supplementary food like chocolates, biscuits, nuts, pickles, bhujias and your favorite tinned products to add variety to the meals. During parikrama, Lunch will be packed in form of light snacks.

Clothing

Clothing needed for both extremes of climate and temperature. While driving to Manassarovar lake, it will be warm inside the vehicle and light clothing will be required, but as soon as you step out of the vehicle, warm clothing will be required to keep off the cold winds of the Tibetan Plateau. Evening will be generally cold and warm clothing will be required. It is recommended that you bring along the following clothing's and accessories with you:


1x wide brimmed hat for sun shade.
Baseball cap will also do but wide brimmed is preferable
1 x Balaclava/monkey woolen cap covering entire head & face with opening for eyes OR
1 x Fleece cap made with Wind stopper fabric
1 x Woolen scarf, if you generally feel cold.
18x Cotton underwear. (Suggestion: Buy cheap ones, which you can leave behind)
Undergarments (for women)
4 x Lightweight thermal tops (Duo fold / CoolMax or similar) as underwear
4 x Light weight thermal long johns (Capilene / Duo fold or Similar)
3 x Flannel shirts
Long and short sleeve T-shirts
Shirts when traveling by air, at hotel & sightseeing in Kathmandu
3 pairs Trousers suitable for outdoor / hiking wear
1 x lightweight Jogging suit (top & bottom when traveling in car, hotel)
1 x Long sleeve fleece jacket (North Face or similar)
1 x Ski jacket (North Face or similar) with Gore-Tex (windproof & waterproof) if you generally feel cold
10 x Woolen socks (at least 65% wool)
Socks liners
1 pair Woolen gloves/ski gloves.
1 pair glove liner
1 x Raincoat/waterproof parka
1 x Swimwear (for use when dipping in Lake Manasarovar)
Handkerchiefs
Towels-Qty: 1 bath, 2 hand towels, 4 washcloths
1 pair lightweight waterproof hiking shoes preferable ankle high with in-sole if required OR
1 pair Sneakers that have deep tracks for gripping
1 pair Shoes (for Kathmandu, India)
Spare shoelaces
1 pair slippers

Do not pack too many clothes to Manasasarovar, because you wont get to wear them all. When you are traveling in the vehicle and during night time, you only need fleece pants. During nights in the guest house you need to wear inner woolens and the fleece pants and your fleece jackets.

Detailed Itinerary

Highlights:

Zhangmu and Saga - You stay in a Hotel with a private bathroom in each room.

Nyalam & Pharyang/Manasarovar - Guest houses.(The guest houses are with three or five beds). Indian style toilets. The guest houses were not too dirty. But they do not have private bathrooms. There are only public toilets for the complete guest house facility. And no shower arrangements.

Manasasarovar - Camp or guest house. You have to be lucky to get a guest house room here and if your tour group arrives late you may have to stay in a tent.

Trip Itinerary:

Day -1 July 1st 2009 - Arrive to Kathmandu, Nepal. Kathmandu city tour. Which includes Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambunath Temple, Sleeping Vishnu Temple and Thamel.

Day - 2 July 2 2009- Kathmandu to Kodari to Zhangmu (145km, 6-7 hrs drive total) 7,441 ft

Early in the morning at 6 am we left Kathmandu by bus to Kodari. We drove along the Shun Kosi and Bhota Kosi Rivers, through lush green mountains and wonderful waterfalls, and reached Kodari by afternoon. We had a quick lunch. We left coach and walked across the Friendship Bridge to Tibet for Chinese immigration before 2 pm (As the time difference is +2hrs after we cross the border to China/Tibet).

At same time all our luggage and also common luggage such as Cooking utensils, gas cylinders etc. which was arranged by the tour organisers, was also transferrer across the border.

Local Nepalese/Tibetian Labourers were also lined up in immigration queue to transfer these luggge items. It was heart breaking to see females carrying children on back and luggage on front. As soon as we get down the our bus, these porters will arrive to transfer the luggage.

We walked to allocated Toyota Land Cruisers and drove another 20km to reach Zhangmu (7,441 ft). Spent the night at Zhangmu in a hotel.

At night, our cooks (Sherpa's) who accompanied us made dinner for the group and we had a group dinner together. Dinner was Puri's, Rice & Mixed Vegetable curry. At night we also had our first round of medical checking. Checked Blood Pressure and our oxygen levels with an Ox-pulse meter. And from hereon, every night our blood pressure and oxygen levels were checked.

Day 3 – July 3, 2009- Zhangmu to Nyalam, 12,000 ft (60km, 2-3 hrs drive)

This day gives us a chance to relax and acclimatize to the high altitude in Nyalam (3750m). It is important to stay hydrated and extremely aware of the body’s physical condition, which the staff will monitor at all times. Here at Nyalam some people get sick.

We had a nice dinner at night. Our cook made potato fries, mushroom soup, mixed vegetable curry and rice. The first symptoms of altitude sickness is nausea and headache.

Day 4 – July 4th, 2009- Nyalam to Saga – 14,435 ft (232km/7 to 8 hours of driving)

Past Nyalam (4450m) the road climbs up to La Lung (5124m) then drops down before heading western part of Tibet. The driving is difficult, but the stunning views of the Himalayas, particular Shisha Pangma (8012m), more than make up for the rough travel. By late afternoon we cross the Brahmaputra River and a quick drive brings us to the town of Saga. All the people will feel the high altitude symptoms here at saga to some extent. Symptoms varies. I had a headache with loss of appetite. But still you must eat, don't stop eating. Need to drink plenty of water. If you get motion sickness the day's journey will make you feel more sick.

We stayed the night at Saga hotel. The hotel was very unclean and unhygienic.

Day 5 – July 5th, 2009- Drive from Saga to Pharyang – 14,500 ft(285km /7 to 8 hours of driving)

Our jeeps and trucks roll through the dramatic valleys following the various rivers through the grazing lands of yaks and sheep. The landscape is highlighted by snow capped peaks rising out of the distant sand dunes. Many Tibetan nomads and traders in traditional dress inhabit this area. Lunch on the way and overnight stay in a guesthouse.

Day 6 – July 6th, 2009 - Drive from Pharyang to Lake Manasarovar – 15,000 ft (277km/8 hours of driving)

This is one of the longest driving days of the trip. By late afternoon the drive through the green pastures and massive valleys gives way to the first sighting of Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. Drive through Mayum La pass (17,000 ft), the highest point of the drive. We did manasasarovar parikrama and reached chi gompa. Here we stayed in a guesthouse for two days. Both the days lunch and dinner was prepared by our cook. He had prepared very nice spaghetti on the 7th day of the trip.

As already mentioned every night we would check each group member's blood pressure and oxygen level. On the final day at manasarovar, before the Mt.Kailash parikrama all people who had low oxygen level were told to either stay back at manasarovar or return back to Kathmandu, to immediately go to a lower altitude for safety.

The Journey...

Here are some of the photo's during our travel from Nepal to Manasasarovar.

More Photos.....on our journey-Tibet

Day 7 - July 7th, 2009 . Full moon day - Gurupournima

Photos at Manasa sarovar

In the morning we joined a group doing Homam. The group was from India and had a Priest them. We performed Homam and Rudrabhishekam for Lord Siva on Banks of Manas Sarovar. We preformed puja on our home idols of Siva ling and and other god's Photo/frames. Then we offered abhishekam with manasarovaram water to Sai Baba and to our guruji. And also we did Satyanaraya poja. I lighted 1 lakh diyas ( one lakh deep's ) to manasarovaram and to Lord Sivai.

After this we felt at peace. But it took quite a while as we finished at about 3:00 PM

Photos of the great Mt.Kailash from up close...

Day 8 - July 8th, 2009 - 1st day of parikrama:

Trek to Dirapuk (4909m) – 17,093 ft
(Total hiking for the day: 15 km/7 to 8 hours)

Our first day of trekking around Kailash begins at Tarpuche. We crossed Yamadvar and we made our way along the route. We passed numerous chortens (stupas) as well as the sky burial site(Sivashtal) of the 84 Mahasiddas. Most of the things we got to see on this day. We saw Ganesha, Nandi, Sanjeevani parvat, Rat, Shesh nag, Sapta rushis entering the Kailash and the entrance door to Kailash, ( all this images on the mountains are self engraved images). We will also have wonderful views of cascading creeks, streaming waterfalls and the mighty west face of Kailash. We stopped for our lunch in a tea stall( a tent ) and had our packed lunch. We bought a coke can from this tea shop. We also passed the Chukku monastery and arrived at the Dirapuk monastery about five hours later,where we will set up camp for the night. We reached our camp site at around 6 p.m. Our tents were in front of Mt.kailash ( north face).Mt. kailash was so close and looked very huge. The color of the mountain was black and was in the shape of a shiv ling. To have a closer look I looked at the mountain with binoculars. I saw Shiva very clearly, the nose,eyes,and the mouth.
Photo's of our first day's parikrama. In the above photo's we can very clearly see all the things I have mentioned.

Photos during Parikrama- Day I

Photos during Parikrama- Day I

Photos during Parikrama- Day I

Photos during Parikrama- Day I

Day 9 - July 9th, 2009 - 2nd day of parikrama

Trek to Zutulpuk monastery – 15, 780 ft
(Total hiking for the day: 18 km/10-14 hours)

The hardest day of the pilgrimage was also the holiest. It was an uphill climb, through the rocky path.On our way we get to see the extended portion of Mt.Kailash ( the east face ). We cross the shivastal and will reach the highest point (5630m-18,600 ft)Drola ma pass.We tied a flag at drola ma pass. Then we walked down and on the way we saw gauri kund ( Ma Parvathi's bathing place ). It was also a place where lord Ganesha got his elephant head and Bhagiradha did tapass and brought ganga down to the earth. It took us 4 hours to walk down the mountain. The path was very steep and slippery. After getting down we stopped in a tea tent and after 4 hours reached our camp site at Zutulpuk . By the time we reached the camp site, the Sherpa's fixed our tents. As soon as we reached the camp site the Sherpa's served us with hot tea/coffee and popcorn.

Photos during Parikrama- Day II

Photos during Parikrama- Day II

Photos during Parikrama- Day II

Day 10 - July 10th, 2009 - 3rd day of Parikrama

Trek to end of valley/Drive to Tarchen
(Total hiking for the day: 12 kms/7-8 hours)

On the last day of our Kailash parikrama, a three-hour walk brings us to where the river emerges onto the Borkha plain. Jeeps will be waiting to transport us to our camp at Lake Manasasarovar. After reaching our campsite we had our lunch. In the evening we took hot water shower in the shower tent and then took full dip in the manasarovar lake. We collected stones from the river.The stones from the manasasarovar itself are considered as sakhthi peeth. Devi's right hand or palm fell here and the idols are Devi as Dakhchayani (Durga) and Shiva as Amar (Immortal). Overnight stay at Manasasarovar.

Photos during Parikrama- Day III

Photos during Parikrama- Day III