Kailash Mansarovar Yatra:
Table of Contents
Mount Kailash and Mansarovar are considered to be the center of the earth. It is in the center of the Himalayas. Mansarovar is the holy place, which is considered to be the abode of Shiva. Lord Shiva is seated on Mount Kailash situated near Mansarovar. It is a major pilgrimage site for Hindus. The Sanskrit word Manasarovar is made up of Manas and Sarovar, which literally means the lake of the mind.
Where Kailash Mansarovar?
On hearing the name of Kailash Mansarovar, everyone’s mind becomes desperate to go there. There is a beautiful lake near Mansarovar. To the north of these two lakes is Mount Kailash. To its south are the Gurla ranges and the Gurla peak. Due to Mansarovar, the land of Kumaon is known as Uttarakhand in the Puranas.
History of Kailash Mansarovar:
Mount Kailash is 22068 feet above sea level and is located in Tibet in the northern region from the Himalayas. Since Tibet is under China, Kailash comes in China. Being surrounded by Mansarovar lake further enhances the religious importance of Mount Kailash. This place has special significance for various religions since ancient times. Various beliefs and folk tales associated with this place show only one truth, which is God is the truth, the truth is Shiva.
Pilgrimage site of four religions:
Mount Kailash is 22068 feet above sea level and is located in Tibet in the northern region from the Himalayas. Since Tibet is under China, Kailash comes in China. Which is the spiritual center of the four religions Tibetan Buddhism and all the country’s Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism.
Tibetans believe that a saint-poet of that place had done penance by staying in the cave for years. According to the Tibetan Bonpas, the nine-storey swastika seen in Kailash is the residence of Demchok and Dorje Phangmo. Buddhists consider the abode of Lord Buddha and Manipadma.
Demchok, the supernatural form of Lord Buddha situated on Kailash, is revered by the Buddhists. He also calls this form of Buddha as ‘Dharampal’. Buddhists believe that by visiting this place they attain Nirvana.
Jains believe that this place of Nirvana of Adinath Rishabhdev is ‘Ashtapad’. Rishabhdev is said to have traveled to Kailash in eight steps. Followers of Hindu religion believe that Mount Kailash is Mount Meru, which is the axis of the universe and it is the main abode of Lord Shankar. Here the right hand of the body of Goddess Sati had fallen. Therefore, here a stone rock is worshiped as its form. Here is the Shaktipeeth.
Some people also believe that Guru Nanak also stayed here for a few days and meditated. Hence it is a holy place for Sikhs as well.
Kailash Region:
This area is called Swambhu. Scientists believe that there was a sea around the Indian subcontinent earlier. The Himalayas were formed due to its collision with Russia. This event is estimated to have happened 10 million years ago.
Confluence of light waves and sound waves:
In this supernatural place, there is a wonderful confluence of light waves and sound waves, which resonates with ‘Om’. This holy place is likened to the heart of Indian philosophy, which reflects the glimpse of Indian civilization. Kalpavriksha is planted in the sediments of Mount Kailash. The south part of Mount Kailash is considered as sapphire, east part as crystal, west as ruby and north as gold.
City of Kubera:
According to another mythological belief, this place is the city of Kubera. It is from here that the Ganges emerges from the lotus feet of Mahavishnu and falls on the top of Mount Kailash, where Lord Shiva flows them in the form of a pure stream in the earth filled with his hair.
Kailashpati Sadashiv is enshrined on Mount Kailash, above which is heaven and below is Mrityalok, its outer circumference is 52 km. Gheeri is the lake from the Mansarovar mountains, which is described in the Puranas as ‘Ksheer Sagar’. Kshir Sagar is at a distance of 40 km from Kailash and in this, Vishnu and Lakshmi are seated on the rest of the bed and are governing the whole world. This Kshir Sagar is the temporary abode of Vishnu, while the Indian Ocean is permanent.
It is believed that Maharaja Mandhata discovered Lake Manasarovar and did penance for many years on its banks, which is situated at the foot of these mountains. Buddhists believe that there is a tree in its center whose medicinal properties are capable of healing all kinds of physical and mental ailments.
Origin of the rivers of India and China: Four rivers have originated from the four directions of Mount Kailash, Brahmaputra, Indus, Sutlej and Karnali. Other rivers of China including Ganga, Saraswati have also emerged from these rivers.
Faces of various animals in Mount Kailash:
In the four directions of Kailash are the faces of various animals, from which rivers originate, in the east is the face of an elephant, in the west is the face of an elephant, in the north is the face of a lion, in the south is the face of a peacock.
Although thousands of mysteries related to Kailash Mansarovar are filled in the Puranas. In Shiva Purana, Skanda Purana, Matsya Purana, etc., there is a separate chapter named Kailash Khand, where the glory has been glorified. By reaching here, the meditator attains salvation. This is the main place of Indian philosophers and seekers. The penance performed here is going to give salvation immediately.
Journey of Death:
Only meditators and yogis can live in this place like heaven or one who is used to living in such environment. There are high snowy mountains all around here. For example, the height of some mountains is more than 3500 meters. The height of Mount Kailash is 22028 feet. You have to be ready to walk 75 kms on foot and climb hills. For this it is necessary that your body is strong and tolerant of all kinds of environment and fatigue. Although the Modi government after talking to China has now taken permission to travel through the Nathula Pass, now it will also be possible to reach there by car. Still, be ready to walk for 10-15 kms. Go by car or on foot, it is the most remote and dangerous place in the world. Reaching here safely and coming back depends only on the will of Shiva. Once you look down into the trenches, the ground is not visible.
Important advice:
Here the amount of oxygen becomes very less, due to which problems like headache, shortness of breath etc. can start. The reason for these problems is the body’s exposure to the new environment. The temperature here goes down to -2 centigrade from zero.
Route Kailash Mansarovar Yatra:
Yatra starting from Uttarakhand:
This thrilling journey to this holy abode of Lord Shiva is organized by the foreign ministries of India and China. Here this border is operated by the Kumaon Mandal Development Corporation till the Indian border, while in the Tibetan region, China’s tourist agency arranges this trip. This journey is very difficult due to the inaccessible and very dangerous 75 kilometer walk from Dharchula to Kailash Mansarovar in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand bordering the international Nepal-Tibet-China border.
In the holy pilgrimage, which lasts for about a month, there are also quite difficult routes. From October to April, both the lakes and mountain ranges of this region are covered with snow. The water of the lakes remains in a solid form. From June a slight rise in the temperature of this region begins.
It takes about 28 to 30 days to reach here via Nepal. That is, if there is no interruption in this journey, then it takes at least 45 days to reach from home to home again.
Yatra from Himachal-Sikkim:
For Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from China, there has been discussion to open the route passing through Shipki La Pass of Himachal Pradesh for Mansarovar Yatra. This route passing through Himachal’s Kinnaur is of lesser distance than the existing route of Uttarakhand. You can also start the journey by reaching Sikkim directly. Nathula Pass was a major transport corridor between India and Tibet for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra which was closed after the 1962 war.
Prime Minister Modi has said that there are many facilities through the way of Nathula. With this, journey can be done by motor to Kailash Mansarovar, this will especially benefit the elderly pilgrims. The pilgrimage can be completed in less time and a large number of pilgrims from India will be able to visit there. In many ways, this new route will be safe even during the rainy season.
Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Route:
1. By road from India:
The Government of India manages the Mansarovar Yatra by road. It takes around 28 to 30 days to reach here. Seat booking can also be done in advance and only the designated people are taken, who are selected by the Ministry of External Affairs.
2. By Air:
After reaching Kathmandu by air, one can reach Mansarovar Lake by road from there.
3. Helicopter:
4. From China Air:
Air service is available from Kathmandu to Lhasa, from where one can reach Mansarovar by reaching various towns of Tibet – Shingate, Gyantse, Lhatse, Prayag.
5. From Nathula Pass:
But now when the Nathula Pass route will be opened, apart from the above routes, you can also start this journey from Sikkim or Himachal instead of Uttarakhand. The tourism ministries of both the above states can be contacted in this regard.