Mt. Kailash (6638 m, 21778 ft) and Lake Manasarovar – The Ultimate Spiritual Pilgrimage of Lifetime
For Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains from India, a pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash and Manasarovar Lake is a sacred trip for ultimate salvation. Kailash is home and abode of Lord Shiva in the Himalaya Parbat in Tibet. Pilgrims/visitors can start their Mt. Kailash and Mansarovar Yatra from Kathmandu by road via Keirung or via Nepalgunj and Simikot by a fixed wing flight and then to Hilsa by Helicopter. Those who desire direct transportation by helicopters to Simikot and Hilsa, they can do that by helicopter. If you want to minimize the stress of long drives, then flights from Kathmandu-Nepalgunj-Simikot-Hilsa to the Chinese Border and then short road trip is the best option.
This spiritual pilgrimage is a divine trip of life to the purest home of the most revered lord Shiva. Pilgrims will walk around Mt. Kailash on its base. The trek around the mountain is strenuous. It passes through challenging rocky terrain with steep acsend and descend. At times, this journey is taken in harsh and adverse weather conditions. Our company has tailored the The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from Kathmandu, Nepal to cater the need and interest of the pilgrims and visitors seeking the spiritual journey.
Kailash and Manasarovar is scripted and mentioned in hinduism, buddhism and those follwing Jain religion. Every year, hundreds of pilgrims traverse some of the remotest and toughest regions of the Himalayas to show theri devition to lord Shiva. It is a land where Lord Shiva lives with his wife Parvati. According to religious texts, the abode of creator Brahma is called Brahmaloka, the abode of Lord Vishnu is called Vaikuntha and the abode of Lord Shiva is called Kailash. Of the three, one can go bodily and return in this life having experienced divinity only from Kailash. It is believed that a single set of parikrama around Mount Kailash washes away sins of a lifetime while 108 parikramas will help achieve salvation or Nirvana. The parikrama or kora of Kailash is a three-day trek, 53 kms long and is performed in a clockwise direction. The Dolma pass is the highest point at 5630m. Gouri Kund (5608m), just ahead of the pass, is a group of five small kunds of different shapes containing emerald green water. It is also called the lake of compassion where Parvati bathed. The parikrama starts from Darchen and can be completed comfortably in three days. The locals do it in one long day! Hindus believe that Goddess Parvati has taken the form of the Manasarovar Lake and that deliverance is assured for people taking a bath in Manasarovar. Even drinking the waters of the lake frees a human being from sins committed in a hundred lives. It is believed that Parashuram's ashram too is situated on a hill on the banks of the Manasarovar.
Some facts:
Mt. Kailash (6638 m, 21778 ft): Situated in Tibet, China It is also called Kang Rinpoche or ‘The precious Jewel of the Snow’. Four major religions respect this mountain. Hindus consider it as the abode of Lord Shiva. Buddhists consider it as the manifestation of Sakyamuni, the Buddha. For the Jainis, this is the place of their first saint Adinath’s emancipation. For Bons, the followers of pre-Buddhist religion of Tibet, their founder saint Shenrab is said to have descended on its peak. Mt. Kailash also known as Mt. Meru, is referred to as the navel of the earth. Four great rivers flow within a radius of 50 kms in four different directions. To the South is the sapphire face from where Karnali flows the Karnali, from the West flows the Sutlej, from the gold face on the North flows the Indus and eastwards flows the Brahmaputra, locally known as Yarlang Sangpo.
Lake Mansarovar: Situated at 4590m/14800ft, it is one of the largest freshwater lakes at such altitude. Major rivers like Sutlej, Indus, Brahmaputra and Karnali have sources near the lake. Mansarovar is what remains of the Lake Tethys, considered the source of all creation. As the legend goes, Brahma created this lake for his meditation. Literally speaking it is manas+sarovar. ‘Manas’ refers to the mind of the God Brahma, the lake being its outward manifestation. The lake is at a height of 4560m with a circumference of 80 km, which can be trekked in about three days. It has a depth of 300 feet and covers an area of 320 sq kms. It is amongst the highest fresh water bodies in the world. It is believed that Sapta rishis come to bathe every morning in this lake between 3 to 5 am and this time is called 'Brahmamuhurta'. According to a legend, Queen Maya was given a bath by the Gods in its waters before she gave birth to Buddha. Holy also to Buddhists, it was once surrounded by 8 monasteries. Lake Manasarovar represents the female energy of Yoni of the Universe, while Mt. Kailash symbolizes the male energy of the Lingum.
Rakshas Taal (Lake): To the west of Lake Manasarovar is Lake Rakshas Tal. It is connected to Lake Rakshas Tal by the Ganga Chhu channel. In Buddhism, Lake Manasarovar, which is round like the sun, and Lake Rakshas Tal, shaped as a crescent are respectively regarded as 'brightness' and 'darkness'. Rakshas Tal’s salty water, a stark contrast to the fresh water of Lake Manasarovar.It is here Ravaana, the devil of Treta Yuga meditated and prayed to lord shiva and received eternal power which he used to terrorized the world and lord Vishnu in his avatar as lord Ram killed him and freed the world from his terror. This lake is adjacent to Manasarovar and several major rivers start from this lake.
Yama Dwar: It is the entrance to the Kora and Parikrama for Mt. Kailash. It is located at 4,724m, 15,500 feet. Every home needs a main gate from which visitors can enter. Since Kailash Parbat is the home of Lord Shiva (as the white people call Him), Yam Dwar serves at its main gate from which all the devotees enter the parikrama route around Mount Kailash. Yam Dwar, which deals with heaven and souls, is guarded by Yamraj. Yamraj brings mortal souls to his Yamlok and passes judgments on the deceased person’s merits and sins, evaluating their deeds and releasing them for the ultimate cosmic journey to heaven or Kailash. While no one knows where Yamraj stays, we can visit places associated with Yamraj at this mysterious door around Kailash Parvat. It is also believed that Yamaraj stays in Kalichi or Patal, which is located beneath the Earth. This is why in Hinduism, it is encouraged to perform good Karma.
Shiva Tsal: Climb past piles of clothing at Shiva- tsal (5330 m / 17490 ft). As a part of their custom, Tibetans leave an article of clothing or a drop of blood here as part of leaving their past life behind them. Continue past thousands of small rock cairns to a large cairn at 5390 m passing the Dikpa Karnak, a sin testing stone. It is said that those without sin can squeeze through the narrow hole between the boulders while a sinner no matter how small cannot pass through! The trail now leads across a boulder field and climbs through large rocks to a tiny stream. Climb onto a ridge and continue gently on to the Dolma La at 5630 m / 18470 ft.
