Kailash — A life time journey
Extensive walking, treacherous terrain, high uncertainty, high risk and a high cost (1.7 Lakh) of yatra and a calm serene mind!. This is enough to describe the yatra. For those who don’t know, Kailash Peak is believed to be abode of Lord Shiva. Along with Hinduism, its also highly revered by Buddhist and Jain religion situated in Tibet region of China. It is also called a trekker’s paradise as the route has all types of terrains.
What was my motivation?
I don’t know! I work in one of the Big 4’s with tight deadlines of project and high work accuracy pressure. Living in Mumbai, a monotonous life, there were changes in my physique. My hands started to vibrate when I hold some stuff. Also I got tired and mind was continuously chattering and absorbed completely in the work and worldly matters. I was searching for a way out. Don’t know how, kailash yatra came in the google ads first result (generally I use adblocker but somehow it popped up!). Then I explored who conducts it. Read some negative reviews of private operators. Finally I reached my destination. The ministry of external affairs conducts the yatra for 24 days. Without any thought, I applied for it and to my surprise, I was into Wait listing category. However, I did not have high hopes to going so it was ok for me.
Confusions
Mind! Its not in your control. Incidently the mercury at my place in Gujarat reached 47 degree in summer. Mind immediately told me that instead of wasting a fortune in the yatra, why don’t you plant trees worth the same? I listened to mind and carried out my work. I talked to my Partner (CEO of firm) and he said OK to go. So I got leave granted for full 18 working days. Now I somehow worked on the project and tried to complete on time.
Last minute decision
One day, I received a call from KMY organizers that your participation is confirmed and pay 5000 rupees to confirm. I did it. Still mind was chattering and going was not fixed. I booked Rajdhani ticket and just before 5 hours decided that let me go ! Had already ordered some items from Amazon but major preparation was pending. I packed stuff in my American Tourister bag as much as I can and left in train.
Delhi, heavy shopping.
In Gujarati Samaj, I was given room with Girish, a 60 years old person from Pune. He was an extensive trekker and a heavy duty person. I was lucky to have him. Showed my stuff to him and he said you desperately need to buy some stuff. So I rushed to decathalon and bough:
Wildcraft bag — 10,000
Decathalon shoes — 6000
Stick — 2000
Rain coat — 1000
Gloves — 1000 and more !
Going forward, each one of them saved my life !
Medical tests
The hardest part. They did Treadmill test, blood test, urine test, ECG, Lung test, X-Ray and every damn test on my body. Worst memory was they shaved my chest for ECG :(
Reports were superb and I passed with flying colors!
Slept at night after loading people’s luggage in the truck at 10 PM as I was a part of luggage committe.
Journey Begins
As our Liaison Officer says, we are a family of 54 members. We were ambassadors of Indian government and were accompanied by two class 1 officers in the journey.
We were a batch of 54 people. All from different states. As per my habit, I need tea in morning for the pressure! However, I got it on the first day itself. Two buses were arranged; one volvo and one small bus. Volvo was full so I decided to take small one (no choice). At first stop, an NGO received us and again they had welcomed me and Ambalal kaka for youngest and eldest in batch. Full day in bus, with a stop at Kathgodam, we reached at Almora. Almora, a place where swami vivekananda discovered microcosm and macrocosm! We reached at night, however the hotel and scenaries were beautiful!. Stayed with ramchandra, ravindra.
Next day early morning went off again in bus and after crossing the mountains, reached last town on the way; Dharchula. Our luggage reached here before us. We took it and shared room with Sanil, Tripathiji, Shambhoo.
Comic Incident. Tripathiji insisted everyone should silent their mobile phones as he has hard time in getting sleep :)
Struggle starts:
Early morning, left Dharchula. I had done a porter yesterday. He came in morning with us and we had to go some 50 kms in small car and then walking. However, there was a landslide on way. We waited 1 hour and then it was decided that cars will come from other side of the boulder. So we crossed boulder and sat in another car. We dropped at Malpa for lunch and saw a big mountain that we had to climb straight!
Hard time in just seeing. However I started and without looking back continued climbing. It was ascending and descending through various peaks. Today the trek was 20 kms. Heavy breathing and legs paining we were walking. On the way, water falls gave us some peace. However, at some places climbing was steep. Especially last part where the night stay was seen from distance at Budhi but it was difficult to reach there. With legs paining like anything, I gathered all my inner strength and though I had a horse with me, I did not sit on the horse and reached the destination. Here shared room with Manoj, Chattar Singh, Shamboo, Girish.
3000 feet in 5 kms
Again today was a high climb day with oxygen becoming thin. Started from Budhi and it was a heavy straight climb where we had to ascent almost 3000 feet in just 5 kms. Scenaries were beautiful but the climbing was stiff. However, I had developed a breathing method to cope up with oxygen problem so had no trouble. After taking photos and videos, I reached Gunji. Last climb was extra stiff. Again I could see the home but to reach there, it was almost 3–4 kms climb.
Chill at Gunji
Gunji was our first place of Aclimatization. We spent a good night sleep at Gunji with Pilot, Kalpesh, Sanil, Rajesh and Kadi. Morning we left to Nabi Gaon where we had to stay in homestay and there people made us eat delicious food. With rajesh, went to nearby village they call it Hong Kong :). Then again in morning came back to Gunji where today we had our medical test. All are tensed. It started with LO, who was on watch as he had high blood pressure. All are more tensed :)
I was chill. Completed my tests, all good. However, there was some issue with my ECG. But doctor said it was your athelet body so its ok.
Next morning started for Kalapani. Walked across beautiful mountains and no difficult climb. Next day again from kalapani went to Nabhidhang camp where air was very thin. Near Nabhidhang camp which is the last camp on India side before china border, there is OM Parvat. Snow naturally forms the shape of Aum. Very interesting phenomenon. We were lucky to see it, else it always remains covered in cloud.
D’Day — 1 : Lipulekh Pass
We had to wake up at 12:30 in night and leave at 1:30. So slept at 6. Tried sleeping at 7. At 10, snoring from Akolkar and Mathurji intensified like anything and me and sopan could not sleep. However managed to get some rest and waking bell run at 12:30. I had a tension of morning bowl movement. However, Tea is my best friend :) Started at 1:30. At night, no visibility. Just kept on following my wild craft torch. It was getting harder and harder to climb. We had to climb 5200 meters/17000 feet.
One interesting thing. Since morning, I did not see my horse. One place everyone stopped as there was a high water flow and if we step in, our legs and socks will be wet. Just then my horse person came from back and said “baith jao”. I sat for 2 mins to cross the water and then again started walking.
To explain our condition, I would put in this way: A place where 1 kg will feel like 10 kg, where after 5–10 steps, your lungs and heart reaches the highest possible limit, destination is not visible due to clouds, no vegetation in sight and rare oxygen. After heavy difficulty and reckless breathing and awesome tiredness, I reached lipulekh pass. We waited for half hour for our previous batch to come back from china as we had to go there in same bus. Today luck was with us as there was no wind and rain. Our passport were checked and we sat in the bus and just doozed off :)
Enter the Dragon
Our clocks are not 2 and a half hour forward to India. We reached Taklakot/Burang and completed our customs and immigration. Then we rested here for the full day and explored the town. Again we stayed next day for aclimatization. Next day we were going to Darchen to start our kailash parikrama.
It was a bus journey and nothing peculiar. Till now our legs are relaxed and we are aclimatized. Reached Darchen where we saw kailash for first time in the snow.
Next day was starting of parikrama. However, my health went lil bad. I had vomit due to acidity at night 4. Next morning, I could not eat breakfast. Being in luggage committe, I managed porters of people so I started parikrama last !
Empty stomach, Low Oxygen and High altitude. It was my most challenging day. However, kept walking. My porter on chinese side Nambian Dorche did not walk with me. So I felt upset. But kept on going and going and reached last ! I took some food and climbed the small peak on way to charan sparsh and did a video call to my home. All happy !
Today night, did meditation in front of Kailash north face for 1 hour and slept. Good news, no toilets with water !. Morning tension again for next day but tea is my best friend :)
D’Day 2 : Dolma La Pass — 19000 feet.
Most dangerous and difficult part of journey which all yatris are scared of. With full strength, early morning, started at 5:30 Chinese time (3 in IST). Today it was 27 kms total. After yesterday’s bad health, nature gave me extra double strength and mood. We had a snowfall at our start. The snowfall opened up my happiness centres. I laughed, danced, sang songs from bollowood, bhajans and kept walking in snow and rain. Nothing was stopping me today. No altitude, No thin air, No cold. I had learned breathing in mountains so I didnot know when I reached Dolma! People had warned not to stay there. But me, I was so happy, that I stayed there for 30 mins and clicked whole loads of photos and descended. Had a fun time with Joshi maam as she was also not that tired unlike others who complained of tiredness.
Reahced town called zunzupu. All work done today. Yatra almost complete! Next day again in dirty toilet we got fresh and reached end of journey where bus was waiting for us. We sat in bus again went to darchen, collected our luggage and straightaway went to Mansarovar (Qugu).
Bathed in ultra cold water in evening after 2 days :) at Mansarovar. Water was very calm. Today almost 2 hours I meditated. Felt inner peace ;)
My Birthday:5th August, 2019.
It was my birthday. What a birthday. Did pooja on this day on mansarovar and people sprinkled flowers on me and Amarnath Agarwal whose birthday was also on this day. Today we had 2 sweets in lunch. Had a 4g connection so broadcasted live pooja to family members. Health was lil down but it went ok. Full day spent on lake man-sarovar.
Journey Ends on Chinese side:
Bus was waiting at mansarovar. We reached taklakot and did some purchase and completed the formalities of customs. Ate in an Indian shop where Rajesh bhai paid 100 Yuans and did not take back. Morning, we had to cross Lipulekh again and walk 27 kms again.
We walked and walked after crossing lipulekh pass and reached Gunji where we had bada khana a treat given by the army men.
Again walking and walking to reach Budhi. Again walk to reach Malpa. Last day was a load. Super heavy climbing again!. But my breathing technique, no problem :)
Learnt one thing in Kailash Yatra, whenever you have a big rock to climb, just Breathe! and don’t look at the end. Keep walking. Even if you are tired, drink water and keep walking!
Car took us to dharchula and from there we came to dharchula where we bathed and went to Nepal which was just a bridge away.
Next day it was 250 kms in bus to Jageshwar. Nothing interesting. Saw old temples at Jageshwar and again next day was 400 kms. Changed bus as someone sat in my seat. At Delhi we had a party by Rajkumar ji for birthday.
Reached by 10:30 at Gujarati Samaj where for the first time we were kept all in one room ! The Dormitory.
After final discussions and meetups, left early morning to the railway station !
Learning:
When going gets tough, just BREATHE!. Remember, you and your EGO are nothing! Nothing in front of vast mountains. And Don’t THINK ! Just stay calm like waters of Manas Sarovar and Observe.
After story:
So what did I achieve going there? Let it be secret. Can’t express in 26 characters. But definitely something has changed :) And I miss my family of 54 !
