Budget tour to Tibet "Sacred Mount Kailash". Kora around Kailash, visiting Lake Manasarovar
This year my dream of visiting Tibet and seeing the sacred Mount Kailash came true. It is currently not possible to travel to Tibet on your own - these are the rules adopted by the Chinese side for visiting Tibet or the Tibet Autonomous Region (official name). But it is possible to travel to Tibet through a travel agency, as part of a tourist group. I went through the tour operator “Kailash” because I have used its services many times and know first-hand about the reliability of the campaign and the professionalism of the team that works in it. Thanks to them for making this trip possible, special thanks to our guide Smirnov Semyon. This concludes my little digression.
Our travel route to Tibet began in Nepal. The meeting place of the group was the city of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Together with the guide Semyon Smirnov, our group consisted of 10 people.
1. Photo of the group.
In the two days that we spent in Kathmandu before flying to Tibet, we visited places that are a must for tourists and those who are in Nepal for the first time. This allows you to get to know and understand a little the culture of the peoples inhabiting Nepal. For some Europeans, the surrounding reality causes a slight culture shock at first, but after a few days, most travelers take it calmly.
2.photo Durbar Square
I have already been to Nepal, and from what I saw in Kathmandu, the places where the Swayambhunath stupa and the Pashupatinath complex are located are more interesting and in tune with me. I'll tell you a little about these places.
Swayambhunath Stupa is located on the top of a hill. Notably, this place is revered in Hinduism, Buddhism and Bon religion. According to legends, the first sanctuaries on this site appeared a long time ago. Here at this place religions coexist peacefully with each other: there is a Hindu temple and Buddhist shrines belonging to different schools. A pujari from a Hindu temple can bless a Buddhist monk and it looks organic. 
3. photo Svyambu Stupa 
4.photo of Svyambu Stupa 
5. photo of a Hindu blessing a Buddhist
The complex with the Pashupatinath Temple is located on the banks of the Bagmati River, sacred to Hindus. I will not be mistaken if I say that the complex is the center of Hinduism in Kathmandu. And it is difficult to overestimate its importance for Hinduism. The entrance to the main temple of the Pashupatinath complex is open only to Hindus; others can only look at it from the outside. But this is enough to understand that this is a very strong place. On the banks of the Bagmati River there are places for cremation of the bodies of the dead. Hindus' attitude towards life and death differs from that generally accepted in Western countries. In short, it can be expressed as follows. Reincarnation is the knowledge that the soul - human consciousness is immortal. Death is a state between births in the earthly body, which many of us do not remember. A person, living many lives, gains moral experience, and the next birth will be determined in accordance with his actions and aspirations. This is the law of karma, the law of correspondences. The body is the seat of the soul - consciousness and an instrument for understanding the world. When a person has fulfilled his destiny or the body has worn out, then physical death occurs. In order for the soul-consciousness to quickly leave the physical world and connect with God the Absolute without becoming attached to the body and to cut off attachments, in different religions there are rituals that help the soul-consciousness to go through this path. They may differ in appearance, but their essence is the same, be it cremation, funeral or sky burial - feeding to vultures, which is practiced in Tibet. 
6.photo Pashupatinath 
7. photo of the Buffalo statue in front of the Pashupatinath temple on which Shiva rode 
8.photo of the area for cremation of the bodies of the dead 
9.photo while awaiting cremation
Rising upstream from Pashupatinath, you can see the caves where Marpa and his disciple Tilopa visited and meditated. This was the end of our stay in Kathmandu. 
10. photo Tilopa cave
The next day we flew to Tibet, to Lhasa. Flying over the Himalayas, we were lucky enough to see the top of the highest mountain on earth - Everest. 
Upon arrival in Lhasa, we immediately boarded the bus and went to the place where the Samye Buddhist monastery is located. There is a mountain next to the monastery. According to legend, this is where the duel between Padmasabhava and the Bonn priest took place, as a result of which Padmasabhava won. Personally, it’s hard for me to imagine that the enlightened Padmasabhava and the no less enlightened Bonn priest could compete with each other. There is a nice temple of protectors at the top here. 
From the top there is a beautiful view of the Samye Monastery, which is built in the form of a mandala. The monastery is large and beautiful; restoration work is underway in some of the monastery’s churches. The first feeling you experience when entering the main temple of the monastery is power and it is physically felt. And in general, from this place I got the feeling - I’m in Tibet and I somehow calmed down - everything has arrived. In the defenders' room above the door there is part of a stuffed python. Where they got it from is a mystery to me! Probably brought from India. True, they were not allowed to photograph him. But in other places it was possible to take photographs. For those who will be in Tibet: Samye Monastery, in my opinion, is a must visit. 
14.photo Samye Monastery in the main temple 
15.photo Samye monastery temple defenders
Next we went to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Currently, intensive construction is underway in Lhasa, and Lhasa is becoming a modern city. China's influence is hard to ignore. The Dalai Lama's Potala Palace is now a museum. Previously, the spiritual and secular lines of power in Tibet were concentrated in it. There are a lot of visitors and this is not surprising. Another significant place in Lhasa is the Jokhang Monastery, which has not lost its significance to this day. Monks live there and services are held. According to legend, there used to be a lake on the site where the Jokhang Monastery is located. The Dalai Lama's Potala Palace and Jokhang Monastery, along with Samye Monastery, are strong places that we visited, despite the fact that there are no monks in the Dalai Lama's palace and no religious ceremonies are held. Religious buildings and the artifacts that are located in them must be used for their intended purpose and by those who know how to do it. Otherwise they may turn into exhibits. There are many examples of this. In Western museums there are a lot of artifacts and religious objects that have become exhibits. Religion should not be frozen and separated from people. She must live and serve for the benefit of people. Then spiritual traditions will be preserved and enhanced. 
In addition to Buddhism, Drak Yerpa Monastery is also associated with the Bon religion, which was the main religion of Tibet before the advent of Buddhism. The caves in which the Bonn masters practiced are located above the main monastery. To get to them you need to spend about two days and you need equipment, as our Tibetan guide said. I think it is no longer a secret to anyone that Tibetan Buddhism became what it is now also thanks to the fact that it adopted a lot from the Bon religion. Of course, this process was mutual. They say that from above, the area where the monastery is located resembles in outline the figure of the goddess Tara. There is a place for a heavenly funeral ritual here. As far as I know, the Chinese authorities currently prohibit Tibetans from performing this ritual. 
The next point of our journey is the Pelkor Chode Monastery and the Kumbum Stupa. The monastery has a good room for defenders; the faces of some defenders are covered. They are opened only at some important moments. When this happens, the monastery decides. I tried to photograph the face of one defender, but the camera could not focus. The Kumbum Stupa has 108 rooms, each room containing a statue of a deity symbolizing one or another aspect of the divine nature. 
Shigatse Monastery is the residence of the Panchen Lama, the second most important cleric in Tibet after the Dalai Lama. At present, his whereabouts are not reliably known. 
Having reached Lake Manasarovar, we left our things at the guesthouse and went for a walk to the lake. At the entrance to Lake Manasarovar, sacred Kailash appears for the first time. Our group included geologist Yulia Volkova from St. Petersburg. If questions regarding geology arose, you could always get the opinion of a specialist. Lake Manasarovar, according to Yulia, from a geological point of view, is of glacial origin. It's very beautiful. Its color changes depending on the lighting. The water in the lake is cool, but some of us took a dip. It was great! Near the lake on the top of the mountain there is the Chiu Monastery, which has a cave where Padmasabhava also visited and left his footprint. Padmasabhava graced many places with his presence. He is not only one of the most revered saints in Buddhism, but also a great traveler. Near the monastery there are hot springs where you can take baths for a reasonable fee. More comfortable! In direct visibility from Lake Manasarovar is Lake Rakshas. 
24.photo lake Manasarovar 
The next day we left for Darchen. Darchen is a place where pilgrims flock from all over Tibet and other countries. This is the last stop before the bark begins. Inner excitement reaches its maximum! Tomorrow the crust will begin, which is what we all came here for. Every religion has its own significant places, visiting which has a powerful impact on a person. In Islam, this is performing Hajj; in Christianity, it is visiting places associated with the life of Jesus Christ; in Hinduism, Buddhism and the Bon religion, one of such places is Mount Kailash and circumambulating Kailash. Many believers, especially from India and other countries, have been preparing for this for many years. The Kailash area remains difficult to access due to various circumstances, including its remoteness and the actions of the Chinese authorities, who periodically close access to the sacred mountain. It is better to do the detour outside of winter. What Kailash and the surrounding area are has been known since ancient times. The symbol of Kailash can be seen in every Hindu temple - this is the Shivalingam. If you look at the mountain area from above, doubts disappear by themselves. And the fact that milk is poured over the Shivalinga during rituals... Remember the rivers of milk! In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon religion, this place is the habitat of the Deities. Legends about the world order also point to this place. There is no need to invent anything here! You just need to read what the religious texts say about this place. Moreover, this information is not a secret. 
Waking up and having breakfast in the dark, walking along the central street of Darchen, reaching its outskirts, we went out onto the path. It was beginning to get light. Together with the pilgrims, our group began its journey. Buddhists walk around clockwise, while representatives of the Bon religion walk counterclockwise. Some people still have a negative attitude towards the Bon religion. This is due to ignorance and often incorrect information about the Bon religion. We walked clockwise, it is difficult to gather a group of those who want to walk the kora in the Bon tradition. The altitude is about 5000 meters, there are no strong changes or climbs on the first day. Of course, this is not an easy walk, and walking requires effort - after all, the altitude takes its toll. But you can walk quite comfortably; if necessary, you can stop and rest. It’s better to take your own rhythm of walking, the body will adjust itself. One and a half to two hours after the start of the bark, we reach the last post of the Chinese military. On the right side of the post is the cemetery of the 84 Mahasiddhas. Unfortunately, the entrance to the cemetery was closed. I tried to pass, but the Chinese military did not let me through. A ritual of heavenly burial was performed at this cemetery, some call it heavenly feeding. It comes down to the fact that after death the body of the deceased is dismembered and fed to vultures. It is clear that this tradition arose a very long time ago. In the conditions of the Tibetan plateau it is difficult to bury or burn a body. No meaningless rituals! And this ritual has a deep meaning. The body of the deceased is offered to all hungry spirits so that they can be satisfied and leave the circle of samsara. In addition, it gave the Tibetans knowledge about the structure of the human body, the causes and consequences of illness, and it was also a very effective Chod practice. In the literal sense, the word “Chod” means to cut off, cutting off. Cutting off attachments. When an incision was made below the base of the skull and in the knee joints, the color of the liquid could determine the state of health of the person, what he was. If a person's heart was eaten by the leader of a flock of birds, then this was also considered a good sign. By the way, in the south of India, in Hampi, I had the opportunity to observe when Brahmins after death fed various foods to crows. I think these rituals have the same roots. I saw cemeteries in Tibet, and I know from our guide that they are going to build a crematorium in Lhasa. Chinese authorities prohibit Tibetans from holding sky funerals. I think this is wrong! You cannot deprive people of their roots and traditions. 
Our path ran next to the Lha Chu River, along the western face of Kailash. The western face of Kailash has a concave shape, maybe that’s why it is not always open; opposite the western face there is a place where there is a stone called “Tara’s saddle”. 
29.photo western face of Kailash 
30.photo of Tara saddle stone
By evening we reached a place near the Dirapuk Monastery. We spent the night at a campsite. Here the northern face of Kailash was already visible. I felt tired from the journey I had traveled. After we settled down and had dinner, I went to bed. I felt a slight heat in my body. I slept well. 
31. photo northern face of Kailash
During the night my body was rested, and in the morning I felt good. After having breakfast early in the morning, we continued on our way. After some time, a long climb began. Bonpos walked towards us and I greeted them in Tibetan - “Tashi Delek”. They also greeted back. The atmosphere on the kora among the pilgrims is warm, everyone is friendly towards each other. The views of the mountains surrounding us and Kailash were beautiful. There was a feeling that something important was happening. The trail gradually climbed upward - we were approaching the Drolma pass. Before the pass you can find a stone with a kind of passage. Tibetans crawl through it. It is considered a good sign if a person does not get stuck in a crevice and manages to climb through quickly. 
Before the Droma Pass there is also a place where the heavenly funeral ritual was performed. The climb to the pass is long and requires effort. I had to rest often. Very hard! From those walking towards the Bonpos I heard a familiar mantra "OM MATI MU E SALEDU"- this is the Bonn heart mantra. And to everyone who met me, instead of greeting, I said this mantra. It was clear from their faces that they were happy. At the pass a beautiful view opens up and a rock called the ax of Karma becomes visible. 
After passing the pass, the trail gradually descends into the valley. And a little further it becomes wider. This is already a road. It becomes easier to walk. In the evening we reached the Zutrulpuk Monastery and stopped for the night at a campsite not far from the monastery. In the morning we went up to the Zutrulpuk Monastery - it is associated with Milarepa’s stay there. There is a cave here where he meditated. I think that many saints meditated there, so you need to visit such places! The monastery itself is small. It is currently undergoing renovation. They finally accepted my bottle of vodka, which I had been carrying with me the entire trip. As soon as I showed it to the monk, he gestured to me - leave it! The fact is that vodka and alcohol are used in rituals of offering to spirits. I took 3 bottles with me from home and planned to bring them to the monastery. I gave one to the monk Dondup from the Menri monastery, but somehow it didn’t work out in other monasteries. After the monastery we continued our journey to Darchen, where the kora ends.
In the end, I want to say that visiting places like Kailash changes people, their attitude towards the world around them, people. Maybe some people need more time, others less. When we left Darchen, I had a feeling of slight sadness. I like the Himalayas! I feel very good here! I wish us all to treat each other with respect, love and speedy enlightenment. For those who want to visit Tibet and see Kailash, I wish you to make your dreams come true! 
37. photo group
We offer regular group tours to Tibet with professionals in Tibet. In addition to a Russian guide-translator, all groups are also accompanied by experienced Tibetan English-speaking guides. Thus, you will have a unique opportunity to travel around Tibet in a reliable and close-knit team of two guides. A Tibetan guide will show you the real “Tibet From the Inside,” and your Russian guide will not only save you from the language barrier, but also share knowledge about Tibetan Buddhism, the history and culture of Tibet. We do not work with Chinese guides who barely speak Russian due to the low quality of their service. We invite you to join us on a trip to Tibet with our close-knit team of tour operator SnowLion Tours.
Three races to choose from:
16 days/15 nights in Tibet
Three races to choose from:
1. China: by plane from China (Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu) to Lhasa
2. China: by train from any city in China to Lhasa
3. Nepal: by plane from Kathmandu to Lhasa
18 days/17 nights in Tibet
Three races to choose from:
1. China: by plane from China (Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu) to Lhasa
2. China: by train from any city in China to Lhasa
3. Nepal: by plane from Kathmandu to Lhasa
17 days/16 nights in Tibet
Three races to choose from:
1. China: by plane from China (Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu) to Lhasa
2. China: by train from any city in China to Lhasa
3. Nepal: by plane from Kathmandu to Lhasa
13 days/12 nights in Tibet
Lhasa, Shoton Tibetan Yogurt Festival, all significant sites of Padmasambhava in Central Tibet, retreat complexes and caves
“The mountain always has the last word.”
Quote from the movie "Everest", 2015
Mount Kailash (6714m) is a sacred mountain in many traditions and religions. Climbing the mountain is prohibited. The axis of the universe, the mountain with the standard vibration, is a pyramid, the edges of which are oriented along the 4 cardinal directions. This is the habitat of sages, sidhes and gods.
Believers of four religions - Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and adherents of the Bon tradition - consider this unusual mountain to be the “heart of the world”.
- Jains revere Kailash as the place where their first saint achieved liberation.
- Hindus perform parikrama. They believe that at the top of Kailash is the abode of Shiva - the god of gods, the master of karma, the destroyer of illusion. According to the Vishnu Purana, the peak is a representation or image of Mount Meru, the cosmic mountain at the center of the Universe. Lake Manasarovar is the lake of Brahma, the creator of the universe, as well as the lake of Shakti, the female deity, the wife of Shiva. Shiva and Shakti (Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar), as well as Mount Nandi (Nandi the bull, the vehicle of Shiva) are represented on the altar in every Hindu temple in the world in the form of a Shivalinga.
- For followers of the Tibetan Bon tradition, Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar lying at its foot are the heart of the ancient country of Shang Shung, where the ancient Bon Po religion originated.
- Buddhists consider the mountain to be the habitat of Buddha in the incarnation of Samvara. Around the mountain, Buddhists perform both regular kora and kora prostrations, read a mantra, and spin a drum.
- Mount Kailash is called Yungdrung GuTse (Nine-Storied Swastika Mountain), - it is the soul of all Bon, the focus of vitality and the main principle of the “Nine Paths of Bon”. Here the founder of the religion, the celestial Tonpa Shenrab, descended from heaven to earth. The bon kora is performed counterclockwise (towards the sun).
Kailash is one of the main occult places on earth, which accelerates a person’s spiritual development, promotes the growth of awareness and personal responsibility for one’s life. The outer crust around the mountain is actually the inner journey to oneself.
The bark around Kailash. How does this happen.
A walk around the mountain usually takes 3 days. The 53 km long route has a deep spiritual meaning. We experience the entire life cycle from birth to death and rebirth. In three days, our soul symbolically lives another life, thereby leaving the past behind, and gets the opportunity to change its future destiny.
Quite often we hear from participants in our trips about a certain “call of Kailash”. Statistics allow us to take such statements seriously. For some people the mountain appears in their dreams, for others they see signs of the mountain everywhere. These are completely different people, often far from esotericism and yoga. One day a person has a “strange desire” to go to Tibet to Kailash... There are people who go to Kailash again and again, 2 times a year. And there is another category - people who for years cannot get to the Sacred Mountain, despite the fact that they pay for tours and even end up in Tibet. The fact is that the road to Kailash is closed quite often. Either an earthquake, or floods, or a difficult political situation, or a religious holiday and the region being overloaded with pilgrims...
It is important to remember that your personal cortex begins the very moment you decide to go to Tibet. How many things appear on the screen of consciousness from this moment! How many fears, doubts, and suppressed feelings make themselves known long before the trip. What incredible events happen before and after the pilgrimage!
It is very important how the pilgrim himself treats his bark. Ideally, this path is walked with bright thoughts, prayers, a formed request, with a readiness for transformation, purification and acceptance of change. The first kora, walked with respect and gratitude to the Sacred Mountain, is enough. Although Buddhists, for example, strive to perform 108 kora to obtain liberation from the “wheel of samsara” and enter Nirvana. It is believed that only after completing 12 outer koras can one walk the inner kora around Nandi Mountain.
And now you have arrived at the foot of the mountain. On the first day of the kora, the symbolic new life of our soul begins at the white chorten. It’s as if we were born again, acquired a new symbolic body, the first day is quite easy physically, many feel cheerfulness and strength, euphoria from the beauty of the landscape and the grandeur of Kailash. Along the way, we pass the house of the lucky Stone with the gate to Shambhala, the Southern and Western faces of Mount Kailash, Mount Buddha of Longevity open to us, and at the end of the route - the Northern face of Kailash.
On the second day of the kora, our soul experiences symbolic maturity, old age, death, bardo and rebirth. This day is very difficult physically. The ascent becomes a test for many; the pilgrim experiences complex internal processes. We go through an area called the 18 circles of hell. Psychologically, this section of the route is frustrating and immerses you in psychological trauma. The path of the kora gradually leads to the Shivatsal cemetery, where the death of the symbolic body acquired on the first day of the kora occurs. Personal items are left here: items of clothing, jewelry or a lock of hair.
After the Shivatsal cemetery to the top of the Green Tara pass, our soul lives a state bardo(the state between death and rebirth), karma is being scanned, “a test of the human soul.” The most difficult part of the journey is climbing the pass Green Tara, height 5600 meters. Green Tara, goddess of compassion, the maternal aspect of the universe, she gives the long-awaited symbolic rebirth.
From the top of the pass there is a view of the lake Gauri Kund And Ax of Karma– a mountain, to see which is great happiness and the main goal of every pilgrim’s journey. The ax of karma finally cuts off the old karma (cuts the umbilical cord), and the person feels the beginning of an independent free life. The road leads down, there will be no more difficult climbs, a person is given the opportunity to start life over again.
What happens after the bark?
We all need time to follow and understand the transformation launched on Kailash. The first shoots will appear immediately, but there are other reference points: 3 months, 6 months, a year and even more.
We have observed more than once how people change their attitude towards life, towards themselves, towards situations and difficulties. How a person is “let go” of an incurable disease, how families are created and children are born to those who really wanted to, but for some reason it didn’t work out. How people free themselves from addictions, bad habits, and become vegetarians. How you have the courage to live your life and believe in yourself. Also, we know how after Kailash, illusions collapse, outdated marriages, unethical businesses, partnerships break, everything that pulls back and is maintained by inertia. The mountain gives strength to transform oneself and one’s surroundings. This is a huge step towards living a successful, harmonious life from your full potential.
Mount Kailash is a source of incredible purity and light, a powerful energy resource. Kailash cleanses, renews, charges “dead batteries.” Helps to survive crises, losses, find new meanings and goals in life. You will never be the same again. You of yesterday will cease to exist. Your patterns, your logic and principles - a lot is transformed. There will be an initiation by height, an initiation by love.
A pilgrimage to Tibet and the kora around Holy Kailash changes a person's life. It gives you strength to cope with the powerful flow of life, helps you understand your life path and truly love yourself, and then your neighbor.
After Kailash, values are revised, priorities are clarified, unnecessary things go away and no longer take up space in your life. What comes into the vacated space is up to you. Free energy will give you the opportunity to realize your goals and live from your meanings.
From the notes made by the bark:
“On the second day, you remember the question you came with, a request for change, a desire for something new in life, something that is still incomprehensible or unattainable for you. And keeping this goal in mind, you begin to rise. The altitude of the beginning of the climb is 4900m, each step up is given as a victory and overcoming oneself; if you are really “burning” with your goal and know why you need this climb, then it is psychologically easier to go. During this period, the body becomes secondary, the will, your psychology of communication with yourself, comes first. The goal moves from fantasy to the material level and on the physical layer you understand what it means to go towards your goal.
Shortly before the steepest climb to the pass there is a place - Shiva Tsal. Here pilgrims perform the ritual of “exchange” with Kailash. A person pronounces his goal and asks for strength to fulfill it. In exchange, he leaves something of his own, valuable to himself, an object containing a piece of a person, dear memories or his power in the form of cut hair. Over the past two years, I have tested my strength many times. Every time, remembering the climb to the pass near Kailash, strength rose from within and all possible difficulties and physical tests turned into child's play. »
The most sacred mountain of Tibet - Kailash - is located in the west of the country at an altitude of 6714 m. The uniqueness of Kailash lies in its sacredness for 4 religions - Buddhism, Jainism, Bon and Hinduism. Tours to Kailash are made by pilgrims and tourists from all over the world to perform a ritual circumambulation of the mountain (kora). The total length of the route is 53 km (2-4 days). Everyone believes that 1 round gets rid of all sins.
The trek to Kailash requires preparation and equipment. You can get to Mount Kailash from Lhasa by jeep with experienced guides for a week, visiting monasteries and scenic spots along the way. A trip to Kailash is of a pilgrimage nature, so it is not suitable simply for curiosity, since this place is very strong in energy. In order to complete the circuit around Mount Kailash, you must first make a kora around Lake Manasarovar, so we recommend contemplating Mount Kailash at dawn and sunset, on the full moon and during the day, in the sun and rain, at any time of the year.
Kora around Mount Kailash
100 km from Kailash you can see the ruins of the ancient cave capital of Kyung Lung of the ancient state of Shang Shung, which owned a third of the territory of Tibet. It is believed that it was in this place that the Bon religion first emerged. 1 day's drive from Kailash are the ruins of the ancient kingdom of Guge, which was known as the intersection of trade routes with India. Nowadays, the 10th century Tholinga monastery, which previously played an important role in Tibet, remains here. In 1966, the Chinese army practically destroyed it during its capture. Many tourists set the main goal of passing the kora around Mount Kailash. Ideally, choose it during the full moon to enhance the effect!
The second important site in this place is the ruins of Tsarapang, located on the slope of the ridge. A path leads from the monastery to the caves where the monks lived. From there you have a breathtaking view of the Himalayas. Near Tsarapang is the cave city of Dungkar, where the most ancient images of Buddha are kept. Four religions at once: Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and the Bon-Po religion consider Mount Kailash sacred. Every year a large number of pilgrims travel to Kailash. It is believed that the very fact of being near this mountain leads to the purification of karma, so not only supporters of these religions, but also ordinary tourists strive to get to this mountain.
Trekking around Kailash
When a view of Mount Kailash in Tibet opens up in front of you, you begin to understand from its appearance that this is not an ordinary mountain in front of you. The thing is that it has a very regular pyramidal shape, which makes it seem like there is a giant pyramid in front of you, although in reality this is not the case. Kailash is an object of natural origin, but it is precisely because of this that the feeling of its supernaturalness is created. The faces that are present on the mountain are clearly oriented to the cardinal points, and on the southern slope there are cracks that, in combination with each other, form a swastika. After contemplating such natural anomalies of Mount Kailash in Tibet, you involuntarily begin to believe in miracles and mysticism.
Moreover, modern research has shown that Kailash is a mountain that rose from the bottom of the ancient ocean before the mountain range we call Tibet arose. That is, Kailash appeared first and after thousands of years a mountain range formed around it. That is, they involve visiting an object of natural origin, which is perhaps the oldest on our planet.
Pilgrimage tour to Kailash
Among Asian peoples, it is generally accepted that the god Shiva lives on the top of Kailash. Considering the fact that this mountain is the oldest or one of the oldest on Earth, I want to believe in this statement, especially since no one has ever climbed to the top of this mountain. For various reasons, explorers have never reached the top and local legends explain this by saying that no one has the right to look at God, so God does not allow anyone to the top. But pilgrims go to Kailash Kora not to conquer its peak, but to cleanse their karma.
What do you need to do to clear your karma? Here everything is on the one hand both simple and complex. To cleanse karma, it is enough to walk around the mountain with pure thoughts, reciting mantras, but this is not easy to do. The thing is that the mountain is surrounded by two circles, external and internal. The outer circle is 53 kilometers long, meaning you should walk all these kilometers in order for your pocket to become a little cleaner. But, if you want to completely clear your karma, then one passage around the mountain will not be enough. You will have to go around the outer circle twelve times, after which you will be entitled to go through the inner, thirteenth circle. Since the inner circle is closer to the top and, therefore, to God, as a result you will receive not only the forgiveness of all your sins, but also a blessing for your subsequent actions. For many believers, this means a lot.
Excursion tours to Kailash
There are many legends that say that a person who completed the kora around Mount Kailash (traversing 13 circles). He gets rid of all his illnesses and becomes incorruptible, that is, his body did not decompose after death. It is worth noting that the legend does not lie about incorruptibility; there are many similar examples. Therefore, there is every reason to believe that other legends associated with Mount Kailash are not fiction. If you are going to do the kora route, that is, walk all 13 circles around the mountain, then plan on doing it over 15 days. At the same time, it is advisable that after completing each lap you do not spend the night in a respectable hotel. They tempered their spirit and will by spending the night with ordinary monks; this is completely acceptable. To admire the beauty of Mount Kailash, you only need to be at a distance to see the shape that forms the spire of the “roof of the world.” The most powerful rivers, the Brahmaputra, Indus, Karnali and Sutlej, diverge from Kailash.
Ancient manuscripts say that all rivers flow from Manasarovar and encircle the sacred land 7 times. The neighboring lake to Manasarovar - Rakshas Tal (demon) is less popular. Through a canal connecting 2 lakes, Tibetans determine the fate of Tibet. The kora around Kailash leaves a very strong impression and is designed for at least 17 days from the moment of arrival/departure. The Eden Tour company periodically gathers groups to Mount Kailash with a mandatory visit to Lake Manasarovar. Please check with the company managers for exact arrival dates. It is also possible to organize individual tours to Kailash according to your wishes - call or write to us!
(entry permit): fly to Beijing, then to Lhasa and then drive by jeep.
The entire route is strictly planned by day. There are checkpoints everywhere, thorough checks. Usually the group is accompanied by a Chinese officer, but we were lucky: our guide had permission not only from Tibet, but also from the Chinese authorities, and therefore we went without a guard.
Preparing for the trip to Tibet, I learned how to cope with altitude sickness, which asanas help best, because my students were going with me on the trip. I asked Lois Steinberg, a student of Iyengar, a leading specialist in yoga therapy. She said that it is better not to do anything at all or only those asanas that help improve the condition of the knees. Tatyana Tolochkova, one of the main Russian authorities in Iyengar yoga, advised Halasana - after it it becomes easier to breathe. Another experienced teacher told me that at such a height you can’t give anything difficult: if you kill people, you’ll kill yourself.
In Lhasa, almost all of us felt unwell: headache, nausea. I wasn’t going to take any medicine, because the difficulties associated with bypassing Kailash are nothing more than cleansing karma, and the more you get, the more sins you erase from yourself. Therefore, using any drugs is an attempt to deceive yourself.
Having experienced the healing effect of some asanas on myself, I gave full-fledged classes, and then even added a headstand, handstand and forearms. just perfect help. The headache went away, the nausea disappeared. We also did simple types of pranayama, mostly while lying down. It was noticeable that those who did not give up yoga were much less sick than those who could not get up. We practiced on the roof of the hotel - not the cleanest place and not the most level. The temperature was around zero, everyone was wearing warm clothes. I asked everyone to mentally give their excess strength to those who could not bring themselves to stand up. As it turned out later, they felt better at that time, although they knew nothing about our participation.
Lhasa We examined it for three days. We went to churches and monasteries. We knew that there is always intense spiritual activity in the Sera monastery; hundreds of monks live there, sitting in the square, holding discussions and talking with students. Now it's like it's extinct. The monks are almost invisible. We met no more than 15-20. Where did the others disappear to, what was going on there in the spring? Everyone is silent about this. After the events of this spring, life seemed to have subsided. The temples and streets of Sir show signs of desolation and desecration. Around active monasteries there are soldiers with machine guns.
We left Lhasa with a heavy heart.
From Lhasa through Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet, we traveled by jeep for five days to Kailash. We spent the night in nice, modest guesthouses.
We approached the pass, beyond which Kailash was supposed to open. And he appeared - almost not hidden by clouds. He greeted us. I and a few other people rushed to prostrate to Kailash. A few minutes later he disappeared into the clouds.
We moved again and then we noticed a cloud whose outline resembled an elephant. I managed to photograph it. True, I realized it too late, I couldn’t catch the horizon level from the car, the image turned out to be a little blurry. But you can still see: this is an elephant walking on the ground. What is an elephant? This is Ganesha, the son of the god Shiva and his wife Parvati. Ganesha is the patron saint of students and travelers. But it also has another function - it prevents sinners from reaching the sacred mountain. After circumambulating Kailash, all sins are erased; However, there are too many people willing, and Ganesha selects only the worthy. Ganesha greeted us with his appearance in the form of an elephant. But he prepared tests for us.
We took a ritual bath at the sacred lake Manasarovar, although it was cold. They even washed only their hands and feet.
Kailash opens for the kora (kora, or parikrama, is a walk around the sacred place) only twice a year: at the end of April - May and at the end of August - September. The rest of the time it is impossible to pass through the bark. In winter and autumn, everything is drowned in snow. Showers in summer. Avalanches occur in the spring. So the path is only open for about three months of the year. We went to Tibet on the 20th of September, that is, at the very end of the season. We went so late on purpose - we wanted to pass the kora on the 29th, on a new moon. It is believed that during the new moon and full moon the energy of this place is especially strong.
Those traveling towards us told us that the trail was closed: snow had fallen, groups were not going - there was a big risk. We were discouraged.
However, the first people we saw in Darchen, the camp from which the kora begins, were two Austrians, strong young guys, cyclists. They just completed the bark. And not in three days, as most people do, but in two. Almost no one dared to go, but they took a risk - and they succeeded. We have cheered up: it means that we will pass. Probably everyone was afraid that they might not return home, but no one showed it.
Usually groups passing through the bark take yaks, on which they carry luggage - backpacks, sleeping bags. Tibetan yaks resemble dinosaurs - with huge horns, but very shy. However, the Tibetans in Darchen told us that we cannot take yaks: when there is snow, they fall between the rocks on the descent and break their legs. And we hired four Sherpa guides. One of them was a beautiful girl, fragile, with a beautiful face.
Usually divided into three segments. On the first day they walk 20 km, on the second - 23, on the third - 10. A total of 53 km.
So, first day. We had to walk 20 km, spend the night in a small guesthouse near the northern wall of Kailash. We walked for a long time along the western side of the mountain. First on the stones, so it was not difficult to walk. Then through the snow. At the end of the day we were already walking through snowdrifts.
Several times we met groups who decided to return: they realized that they did not have the strength and determination to go further. The Dutch couple, completely exhausted, told us that going here was the biggest stupidity of their lives.
At some point, a huge bird, flying in from the direction of Kailash, began circling above us - a body no smaller than a human, with a gigantic span of brown-white wings. The bird circled above us and flew back. These feed on human remains from the cemetery, which is located nearby. In Tibet they don’t bury in the ground, because there is little soil, and generally they don’t burn it, because that requires firewood. The corpses are cut up and left on the rock, where birds eat them. The cemetery is not empty: some come here specifically to pass away in a sacred place; some die during the bark - some are poorly equipped, some do not survive the journey. Judging by their fatness, the birds always have something to peck.
Strangely, I didn't feel tired. I really didn’t understand where it could come from here. You look at Kailash and your strength increases. I've never climbed a mountain before. Everyone scared me that it would be very difficult. But here it was as if an additional battery had turned on. I ran ahead of everyone. I got into a rhythm: step with the right - inhale, step with the left - exhale.
Finally we reached the guesthouse. Austrian cyclists advised us: when you come to spend the night on the first day, try to climb a little more up the mountain, this is the closest point to Kailash along the entire kora. There were no people willing to climb anywhere else, so I went alone. Indeed, from this point Kailash was visible best. From here it is the most beautiful: the northern wall is almost vertical and there is a huge snow cap on top.
I looked at Kailash and realized that I had never felt anything like this in my life. Usually in nature there are two kinds of things. They are either motionless, static, as if sleeping, or moving, dynamic. The power in them does not sleep, it is manifested. Kailash combines both. This power is both potential and manifest. Here it is, you feel this force directed at you. It seems to be inside you and seems to come from there. There is an immovable power in front of you, and you feel the strength inside, and its presence forces you to do something, go further and help others go.
In the evening, the Sherpas announced to us that they would not go further - they did not want to die with us. We offered double payment. But they didn't agree on anything. In the morning we gave them all our things, sleeping bags, and they went back, back to Darchen, and we continued our journey without them.
The second day is the hardest. The road goes uphill almost all the time. The stones are covered with snow, and it costs nothing to slip, fall between them, or fall into the gorge. This happened to our guide. I was nearby, grabbed him by the backpack and helped him get out. The Tibetan immediately moved on, but it took me a long time.
Finally here is the Drolma-La pass. This is the highest point of the path, 5626 meters. Having climbed there, I sat and waited for my companions to appear. They were gone for a long time, and I began to think that they had turned back.
The dog came up. We were warned that it was very dangerous here. But this is at night. And during the day they behave peacefully, hovering nearby, asking for food. I treated her to cookies. Then the crows flew up and pecked at the crumbs.
A Nepalese man approached - as it turned out, also a yoga teacher. He explained to me that we were at the highest point of the cortex, which symbolized the bindi point - the one drawn on the forehead. This is the point of transition to a new life.
An hour later the first person from our group appeared, and after another hour and a half, the last one. When things got really hard, everyone discovered something different: they read mantras, Orthodox prayers, and used holotropic breathing.
All this helped to overcome the most difficult climb.
It is believed that after this turning point, the road is much easier: all the time downhill. But the snow was deep, and we did not feel any relief. Now we walked along the eastern wall, it is the narrowest, and it is almost invisible: the mountains are in the way. began to sit down. Our strength was fading. A guesthouse should already appear, but it’s still not there. What if we have already passed it without noticing? Ahead of us lay a night without sleeping bags. Maybe it makes sense to move on and, after walking along the southern wall of Kailash for another 10 km, reach Darchen?
But this is still a guesthouse. We spent the night under Tibetan blankets. It’s impossible to cover your head with them: they are very dirty, and when you pull them off, you start to freeze. I suffered for five minutes and still got covered. I woke up in the morning.
The next day, the remaining 10 km is an easy walk. Everyone felt like heroes. Strength has noticeably increased. We reached Darchen. The next day we went to Tirthapuri, where there are hot springs where, according to legend, Shiva met Parvati. Having washed our feet in their sacred water, we finally came to our senses.
...It is believed that if you walk through the kora 108 times, you will be guaranteed nirvana during your lifetime. But there is another way: after passing the kora 12 times, take another kora, it is called the inner kora, which passes much closer to Kailash. True, she is even taller and heavier. Let's try.