KAILASH MASAROVAR YATRA

Holy Mount Kailash is one of the most popular ultimate Hindu pilgrimage sites in Himalayan region dedicated to Lord Shiva where every devotee wants to go. Mount Kailash, which is believed to have been formed 30 million years ago when Himalayas were in their early stage of formation, is one of the most revered places in the Himalayas.Mansarovar and Mt. Kailash are two of the holiest pilgrimage areas to devotees of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Bonism and many other faiths. Each year thousands of devotees undertake the treacherous and rigorous journey through the mountains and plains of Nepal and China ( Tibet) to reach this sacred land.Mt. Kailash, 6,740 mtr. high peak is situated to the north of the Himalayan barrier, wholly within Tibet. It is the perfect mountain with awesome beauty, with four great faces. It is the spiritual centre for four great religions: Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, the Jain religion and the pre-Buddhist animistic religion - Bonpo. For the Hindus Mount Kailash is the earthly manifestation of Mt. Meru, their spiritual centre of the universe, described as a fantastic 'world pillar' 84,000 miles high, around which all else revolves, its roots in the lowest hell and its summit kissing the heavens. On the top live their most revered God, Shiva, and his consort Parvati. For the Jains, an Indian religious group, Kailash is the site where their first prophet achieved enlightenment. For the older, more ancient religion of Bon, it is the site where its founder Shanrab is said to have descended from heaven.Spread out on the Tibetan plateau beside Mount Kailash is the giant lake of shifting colors - Lake Mansarovar. Brahma, the creator, had a mind (‘Man’) for the creation of a lake (‘Sarovar’), hence its name ( Mansarovar). A pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and a bath in the Mansarovar is believed to bring about salvation (Moksha) and washed away all the sins of life. Over the centuries pilgrims have constantly journeyed immense distances to achieve enlightenment or cleanse themselves of sin, braving enormous distances, particularly harsh weather and bandit attacks. People have been visiting Kailash - Mansarovar for centuries. It used to be very hard journey in the past; today it is lot easy to reach to the heaven now!
This adventure begins with the drive across the Himalaya west into Tibet to Holy Lake Mansarovar. Here you will join the throngs of pilgrims who, for centuries, have converged on this remote southwestern corner of Tibet to circumambulate the sacred mountain, considered to be the center of the universe by Hindus and Buddhist alike. Kailash enjoys great popularity the folk religion of Tibet - it is the soul of the country and assures protection for all Tibetans. The fountain head of four great Asian rivers ( Indus, Sutlej, Bramhaputra and Karnali), few mountain reveals Kailash for its mystique, isolation and prominence, for 3 days you will walk with pilgrims around this. It is an experience of a lifetime...!
Mount Kailash - The abode of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati : Mt. Kailash is claimed to be the apex of the Hindu religious axis, is also one of the holist mountains in Tibet . Lord Shiva resides in Kailash among the peaceful Himalayas. A mythological story says that Lord Shiva once built a house for himself but gave it away to a devotee who asked for it. Thus without changing his residence he settled in the mountain of Kailash. This is his abode where he stays with his whole family including his wife Goddess Parvati and children Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikiya and the other Shiv Ganas (group of Shiva Devotees) like Nandi and others. According to ancient religious texts, the abode of Lord Vishnu is called Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Bhrama is called Bhramaloka and the abode of Lord Shiva is called Kailash. Of the three, one can only go bodily and return in this life from Kailash having experienced divinity. The Hindus, buddhist and Jains all alike travel to this place as pilgrims. A journey to Kailash mansarovar is considered as once in a lifetime achievement.
In the northern part there is a mighty mountain by the name Himalaya, the abode of perpetual snow, fittingly called the lord of mountains, animated by Divinity as its soul and internal spirit (or in other words, Divinity incarnate). Spanning the wide land from the eastern to the western sea, be stands as it were like the measuring rod of earth.At the direction of the king Prithu the self same mountain was used as a calf by all other mountains. While the Mount Neru (KAILAS) stood as an expert milker of cows and milched the Mother Earth (as if from a cow) the milk of shining gems and medicinal herbs of wonderful virtues and supreme efficacy (in order to adorn the Himalayas)
865 Kms from Delhi, stand Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar constituting one of the grandest of the Himalayan beauty spots. The perpetual snowclad peak of holy Kailas of hoary antiquity and celebrity, the spotless design of nature's art, of most bewitching and overpowering beauty, has a vibration of the supreme order from the spiritual point of view. It seems to stand as an immediate revelation of the Almighty in concrete form, which makes man bend his knees and lower his head in reverence. Its gorgeous silvery summit, resplendent with the luster of spiritual aura, pierces into a heavenly height of 6690 meters (22028 feet) above the level of the sea.



The Holy Mansarovar Lake The PARIKRAMA or circumambulation of the Kailas Parvat is about 54 kms. Mount Kailas is revered in Sanskrit literature as the abode of the all-blissful Lord Shiva and his divine spouse Parvati, the all-enchanting Nature (Prakriti) which from 32 kms. off is overlooking the Holy Mansarovar and the Rakshas TaI, in the south. The holy Mansarovar or manasa-sarovara is the holiest, the most fascinating, the most inspiring, the most famous of all the lakes in the world and the most ancient that civilization knows. It is a famous lake in the Hindu mythology. The lake is majestically calm and dignified like a huge bluish green emerald or a pure turquoise set between the two mighty and equally majestic silver mountains, the Kailas on the north and the Gurla Mandhata on the south and between the sister lake Rakshas Tal or Ravan Harda on the west and some hills on the east.in the foothills of Mount Kailash, lies the magnificent lake of Mansarovar. The lake changes colour and mood with the passing hours and seasons: placid now, tempestuous the next. The reflection of the sun, the clouds, the stars and even, Kailash, keeps the beholder spellbound. The lake is large, being 88 kms in circumference and with a maximum depth of 300 ft. Its fascinating variety and beauty captures the heart and imagination of the viewers. The water of the lake can be freezing at certain times of the day and during certain seasons and pleasantly warm at others. Regardless of the temperature, most devout pilgrims have an opportunity to take a holy dip in the lake.
The first camp at Qihu, where the yatris spend two days is well-equipped and offers a stunning view of the lake. There you can bathe in the lake and offer puja. It is requested that damage to the pristine surroundings in any manner should be avoided and use of soap or detergent while bathing is prohibited. Those wishing to have a proper bath may visit the baths at hot water springs. Their charges are Yuan 20 per head.
The Parikrama begins with a drive through the vast plains of Barkha to Qugu, a distance of about 85 kms. There will be a brief halt at Hore, which has a basic market where one can purchase fresh fruit and vegetables. The camp at Qugu is located on the banks of the Mansarovar Lake. Yatris can, if they wish, perform their puja here.
The next day you return to Qihu, thus completing the Parikrama of Lake Mansarovar. You will spend one more day at Qihu to get in touch with the other half of your original group, and return to Taklakot together.
Moving Forward...
After a two-day stay at Taklakot to complete emigration and custom formalities, you have to cross back in to India via the Lipulekh pass.
The return journey from Lipulekh to Dharchula is via the same route taken on the onward journey except that from Dharchula, the yatris have to travel to Jageshwar instead of Kathgodam and then to Delhi.
Facilities on the Chinese Side
Taklakot is an important town in the area. Accommodation is provided at Purang Guest House for pilgrims, where regular rooms are available with cots, mattresses, comforters (razai), etc. Electricity and hot water for bathing is available at specific times. The toilet facilities are quite primitive. At Taklakot, the Chinese authorities provide vegetarian food of a Chinese flavour, such as bread, vegetable soup, noodles, boiled rice, etc.
The camps at Darchen, Deraphuk, Zongzerubu, Hore, Qugu and Qihu are basic structures and have several rooms, which are to be shared. Each room can accommodate 4 to 6 pilgrims. Mattresses, pillows and comforters are provided. There is electricity only at Darchen camp. Yatris have to prepare their own food in all these camps. The Chinese side will provide hot water and a stove for cooking.. Yatris are advised to carry some food items of their choice from India.
Medical Facilities
Two medical personnel provided by the State Government of Uttaranchal will accompany each group of pilgrims up to Gunji. Beyond Gunji, Indo-Tibetan Border Police will take over the medical arrangements upto Lipulekh Pass. Pilgrims are nevertheless advised to carry some basic medicines (Appendix – F). Please also ensure that you carry sufficient stock of special medicines that have been prescribed for you. During the Yatra, should the accompanying doctor and the Liaison Officer feel that a pilgrim is not fit to continue, their decision will be final. No refund at all is permissible in such cases. On the Chinese side there is no doctor to accompany pilgrims during the Parikrama of Kailash and Mansarovar.

Volcanic-like activity triggers scare in Lahaul-Spiti

mysterious explosion atop a mountain has sent a major scare across Rangrik village in Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.

With the phenomenon, said to resemble a volcanic eruption, triggering massive landslides and waters to gush continuously, edgy villagers are reportedly left with no option but to trek uphill on Sunday to find a way of stemming the problem rather than wait for the district administration and scientists to heed their cry for help. With 120 houses and 700 villagers, Rangrik is 4,000 meter above sea level and 7 km away from main Kaza town. Fearing a tragedy might strike anytime without timely intervention, village headman Tandup Tashi told TOI, "We have already informed the district administration but nothing has been done so far, except for the assurance that Geological Survey of India has been informed. We can’t keep waiting for officials to come and inspect the site, so we have decided to climb the mountain on Sunday to check what actually happened and what can be done." Banking on a pair of binoculars to assess the situation soon after the "explosion" on July 27, Tashi added, "We saw that a ditch had been created from where water was gushing down. If steps are not taken to check the flow, the situation may become dangerous." But brushing aside fears of villagers, geologists said that in India, sporadic volcanic activity took place only on Barrel islands in Andaman and Nicobar. Pardeep Singh, senior GSI geologist added, "There can be several reasons for such a mountain explosion, including presence of hydro-thermal gases and sulphur. But reasons and factors will be known only after visiting the site." Trying to maintain calm, Chhering, who runs a private school here, "Initially, it looked like some volcano activity because there was smoke-like dust all around the mountain top, followed by bright sparks caused by rolling boulders colliding with one another." However, not ruling out danger to the village and 2-MW Rongtong hydel project nearby, Dr SS Samant, incharge-scientist, GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, said, "There is a risk to the village andproject if the landslides and flow of water are not stopped. It’s important to understand reasons behind the phenomenon."

MAJOR PRITHI CHAND SAVES 'LADAKH'

Major Prithi Chand Saves’Ladakh’
It is the story of a person who was inspired by an ideal. It is an example of selflessness of one leader, who raised the vision of people all around him to achieve the impossible.

Prithi Chand was a scion of the ruling family of Lahaul. It was a small principality, tucked into the Himalayas to the north of Kulu and Manali. It borders on Ladakh.

In 1936, when he was about to finish his studies, the family Guru of Prithi Chand visited. He came from the Buddhist monastery in Ladakh. The Guru was ailing and said that the visit would be his last one. One evening he looked straight into the eyes of Prithi Chand and asked him to promise something. Prithi Chand readily offered to do whatever the Guru wanted. “Protect my monastery when it is in danger”. Not dnowing what it meant, Prithi Chand promised to do so.

On the eve of World War II,in 1939, Prithi Chand joined the Indian Army as an officer. It was December 1947 when Major Prithi Chand’s battalion fetched up in the Kashmir Valley to fight the tribal invasion launched by Pakistan. Soon thereafter, the Himalayas received a heavy snowfall and the only route leading to Ladakh across the Himalayas at Zojila Pass was blocked for the duration of the winter.

One of the thursts of the Pakistane invasion was along the Indus river towards Leh, the capital of Ladakh. The Indus River here is on the northern side of the Himalayas and flows from Tibet in the East towards West. The invading column was making slow progress in the severe wintry condition, against resisitance being put up by a small force belonging to the state of Jummu and Kashmir.


The Ladakhi community in Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, started getting news of the imminent fall of Ladakh. During the long winter lying ahead, it was only a matter of time befor the invaders would reach and capture Let. On a tenuous radio link, the news started coming in that people were packing up their belongings to send them away to Tibet, along with their women and children. Major Prithi Chand was getting all the news through a Ladakhi classmate, who was a civil engineer at Srinagar.

One night, Major Prithi Chand saw a brief dream. His Guru appeared before him and told him to fulfil his promise. Prithi Chand woke up with a start. What promise? He had completely forgotten the incident of 1936. Slowly, the memory came back.

Prithi Chand got up, put on his uniform and set to work. He had got a clear-cut ideal to save Ladakh in order to protect the monastery of his Guru. His mission was more important than his life.


The senior military commanders felt that Prithi Chand had gone mad, when he suggested that an operation should be mounted to protect Ladakh . There was no way Ladakh could be saved. The route had closed down for the winter. And, in any case, they had no force wich could be diverted from the difficult task of protecting the Kashmir Valley.


Prithi Chand was not discouraged. He knocked at every door; military as well as political. He even persuaded the Ladakhi community to send telegrams to the Prime Minister of India at Delhi.


Finally, the military authorities relented and approved a plan prepared by Prithi Chand. Privately, they were of the opinion that it was a most scatter-brained idea. But they agreed to it, to get Prithi Chand off their backs! The plan was that Major Prithi Chand, along with thirteen volunteers from battalion and his civil engineer friend, would cross the snow bound Himalayas. They would carry about 200 rifles and some ammunition, using porters. On reaching Ladakh, Prithi Chand would raise a guerrilla force from the local youth and train them. they would then delay the Pakistani invading columns. Simultaneously, the civil engineer would prepare an airfield at Leh for the military aircraft, Dakotas. Once the airfield was ready, reinforcements would be flown into Lakakh.


The story of Major Prithi Chand is one of the great sagas of the profession of arms. It needs a full book 19 to narrate his adventures. But in a nutshell, he did cross the Himalayas in midwinter; escaped an avalanche; did reach Ladakh; did raise a guerrilla force; did hold the Pakistani invaders at bay for sixty days; did get the airfield ready at Leh and did pester the military authorities to honor their promise to fly in reinforcements, just in time to prevent the fall of Leh! He was awarded a Maha Vir Chakra, but his greater reward was the fulfillment of an ideal.

Selflessness based on an ideal or a vision is the real foundation of leadership. It inspires a leader and also those he leads, to achieve the impossible.

“As long you are clouded over with this
Possessive attitude, thinking only of yourself,
Your family, your people, your things, you can
be certain that sooner or later you will be cast
Into sorrow, you must travel from the stage of
identifying yourself with’ I’ and ‘mine’ to the
Higher stage where you are constantly
Identifying yourself with ‘we’ and ‘ours’. From
Selfishness you must gradually travel to
Selflessness, from bondage to liberation.”
-Sai Baba

Milarepa

Milarepa depicts the humble beginnings of the man who was to become Tibet’s greatest saint. A true story based on centuries-old oral traditions, a youthful Milarepa is propelled into a world of sorrow and betrayal after his father’s sudden death. Destitute and hopeless, he sets out to learn black magic - and exact revenge on his enemies - encountering magicians, demons, an enigmatic teacher and unexpected mystical power along the way. But it is in confrontation with the consequences of his anger that he learns the most.
Photographed in the stunning Lahaul-Spiti region of Northern India, Milarepa offers a provocative parallel to the cycle of violence and retribution we see consuming today’s world.
Milarepa, one of the most widely known Tibetan saints, is also revered for the verses he composed throughout his life, known as the Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa. His faithful devotion to his teacher, Marpa, astonishing perseverance, and ultimate attainment made his life story into a legend, inspiring millions.
Milarepa was born in 1052, the Year of the Water Dragon, in the shadow of Mount Tisi, in Tibet. His family name, Mila, came from a paternal ancestor, and he was given the surname Thopa Ga, Joy-to-Hear. His family was wealthy, but his father’s death, while he and his younger sister were still children, left Thopaga, his mother and sister at the mercy of a ruthless uncle and aunt, who robbed them of every possession, and forced them into servitude. At his mother’s urging, Thopaga sought the teaching of a sorcerer, in order to fulfill his mother’s desire for vengeance.
Once he acquired the adequate powers, Thopaga returned to his village, murdered most of his aunt’s and uncle’s family and then fled. He soon regretted his actions and, realizing the need to purify his karma, sought instruction in Buddhism. After a period of fruitless practice, his first teacher told Thopaga that his karmic connection was stronger with another lama named Marpa Lotsawa, “The Translator of Mar,” and sent Thopaga to find him.
Marpa was a married householder, a great teacher, and the translator of many Sanskrit Buddhist works that have become a standard part of the Tibetan canon. In India his principal guru was Naropa, whose principal guru was Tilopa, a direct successor of the Kagyu lineage. While basically warm and compassionate, Marpa could be quite stern, a method especially appropriate for purifying karmic obstructions. Marpa subjected Milarepa to several years of frustrating trials before he taught him directly. After much intense purification, Milarepa thoroughly devoted himself to practicing these teachings, and achieved his goal of personal liberation.
After Milarepa left Marpa, he pursued his practice continually, living mostly in caves in the desolate mountains of Tibet and Nepal. His austere habit of wearing only a single cotton robe year round earned him the title “repa,” (cotton clad) which, added to his family name, became “Milarepa.” Occasionally he interrupted his solitude to beg for food, and in return would recite extemporaneous teaching songs. Although Milarepa endured great difficulties, he always exhibited great courage, and his reputation grew far and wide.
Milarepa was known for a wry sense of humor and for his candid and direct style. Milarepa never welcomed fame, however, and it seemed as if he often rejected would-be disciples; but this is one of many paradoxes of his unique approach. Judging from the number of his accomplished disciples — particularly for someone who made such an effort to avoid people – he was extremely effective.
About the director:Neten Chokling Rinpoche, born in Wandipodzong, central Bhutan in 1973, was recognized and enthroned by both the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa and Kyabj Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, from whom he received many teachings and transmissions. Renowned as an accomplished practitioner, he is the spiritual head of the Pema Ewam Choegar Gyurmeling Monastery in India and Tibet
Neten Chokling Rinpoche’s lineage is that of the great terton (treasure finder) Chokgyur Lingpa, and traces itself back to the Tibetan king, Trisong Detsen, who invited Guru Rinpoche to Tibet.
In previous incarnations Neten Chokling Rinpoche accomplished many great activities in association with Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892), a renowned Buddhist saint who played a pivotal role in the revitalization and preservation of Buddhism in Tibet in the 19th century. Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s present incarnation is Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, aka Khyentse Norbu - the critically acclaimed film director.
Likewise, Neten Chokling Rinpoche is fascinated with the power of cinematic art and the emotional influence of storytelling through sound and movingpictures. He greatly admires the directors Yasujiro Ozu, Akira Kurosawa, Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou.
Neten Chokling was a principal actor in Khyentse Norbu’s The Cup; and assisted in his latest production Travellers and Magicians as a stuntman, assistant to the director and 2nd unit director. The tradition of accomplishing remarkable activities with Khyentse Norbu, which dates back many centuries, is apparently very much alive and well in this century.
Neten Chokling’s rigorous training in Buddhist meditation and philosophy, combined with a deep interest in the film medium, make him well-suited to bring the teachings alive in a way that is accessible to a modern audience.

lahou spiti group

LAHOUL & SPITI

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Manali-Leh railway link soon

In a major move to push tourism in the hill states and counter Chinese expansion in the Tibetan region, the Railways ministry has prepared a blueprint to set up an ambitious 480 kilometre Manali - Leh railway line link criss-crossing the treacherous mountains in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.
The project according to experts will cost over Rs 16,000 crore and the ministry is already preparing a detail survey plan for the project.
A top level government meeting took place in Delhi recently to discuss the survey and other modalities of the project. The distance, according to the plan, will be traversed in around ten hours.
A senior Railway Ministry official said, "A detailed survey plan for the proposed Manali-Leh railway line has been prepared and is under the active consideration of the Railway Board. The expenditure for the survey will be shared jointly by the Himachal Pradesh government and the centre."
The plan is to lay a broad gauge railway track between Jogindernagar and Manali via Mandi and extend it 480 kilometre further to Leh via the Rohtang pass and beyond.
The security concerns are a key reason for building the train line.
"With China building the Beijing-Lhasa railway track, it is critical for India to respond and build the Manali-Leh route both from the security and tourism point of view of India," said Prem Kumar Dhumal, chief minister, Himachal Pradesh.
The proposed railway project is strategically important for India as experts opine that a railway line will be a viable transport alternative in extreme weather conditions.
At present, the main source of connectivity to the border areas is either through the road or air, which frequently gets affected during adverse weather conditions.
Manali - Leh highway which connects tribal areas of Lahaul, Udaipur, Pangi and Ladakh with the rest of the country and goes through the highest mountain passes in the world, remains closed down during the entire winter season.
A rail link will definitely serve India's defence purpose at a time the Chinese are flexing their muscles at our backyard, said an industry expert.
Apart from serving the India's defence interest, the proposed project will provide a fillip to the tourism industry that is one of the major source of revenue generation for the state of Himachal Pradesh.
"I have just returned from Leh and the response I received from the people of Ladakh has been tremendous. The private sector is already showing a keen interest in building this railway track," Dhumal said.
A senior executive of an infrastructure company undertaking railway projects said that the cost of laying a railway track at such a high altitude will be more than double the cost of laying a normal railway track.
Because of the difficult terrain, the movement of vehicles carrying raw materials and other equipment for the project will become costlier.
Moreover, a large amount of tunneling work will have to be undertaken along the proposed route

ROHTANG TUNNEL

(i) PROPER


This tunnel project was conceived way back in 1983 in view of the need to provide an all weather route to Leh and Lahaul & Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh. Rohtang pass, located 51 km away from Manali, is at an altitude of 3978.0 m (13044 ft) and has been posing serious problem in maintaining the road communication for more than four months in a year, It faces heavy snow fall activity, high velocity winds and sub-zero temperature. Accordingly, feasibility study for the construction of Tunnel across Rohtang pass conducted by M/S RITES. Detail Project Report (DPR) has been submitted for obtaining formal approval from cabinet committee on security. Formal approval for the project is yet awaited. Salient features of the proposed Rohtang Tunnel are given as under:-

Length of Tunnel
:
9 km
Shape of Tunnel
:
Horse Shoe shape. Finished width 10.00 m at road level. (8.00 m pavement and 1.00 m footpath on both the sides)
General altitude of the tunnel
:
It lies between 3000-3100 m altitude
Design speed
:
80 km/h

Geology of Tunneling media
:
Uniformally dipping alternate sequence of Quartzites, Quartzitc Schists, Quartz-Diolite-Schist with thin bands.
Temperature variation in the area
:
25-300 C during May-June

-200 C to -20 C during Dec-Jan
Overburden
:
Maximum-1900 m

Average more than 600 m
Construction technique proposed
:
Drill & Blast with NATM
Support System proposed
:
Fibre reinforced concrete (100 to 300 mm thick) combined with rock bolt (26.50mm dia 5000 mm to 9000 mm long) has been proposed as principal support system. In poor rock condition yieldable steel ribs (ISMB 150/ISMB 300) have been proposed in addition.
Tunnel ventilation
:
Semi transverse system of ventilation system has been proposed. Following parameters have been taken in design:-


(a)
Upper tolerance limit for concentration
-
150ppm


(b)
Visibility factor
-
0.009/m



(i)
Cars
-
3000 Nos



(ii)
Trucks
-
1500 Nos


(d)
Peak hour traffic
-
337.50 PCUs


(e)
Design vehicular speed in Tunnel





(i)
Maximum Speed
-
80 km/ph



(ii)
Minimum Speed
-
30 km/ph
Project Cost

Approximately Rs. 1700 Crore
(ii) APPROACH/ACCESS ROAD

Approach road to the two ends are required to be constructed to connect the Tunnel proper with the Manali-Leh road and also to mobilize the resources for construction of Tunnel, Initially, only access roads with minimum necessary specifications for mobilization of resources will be constructed. Later the same will be developed to National Highway Double Lane specifications and will then be called as approach road. Formation, surfacing and permanent works are under progress and the upto date progress of approach road is given as under:-

Formation Cutting - 59 %

Surfacing Works - 16 %

Permanent Works