Holy Yatra to the Abode of Lord Shiva - 24

Back to Tokchen 

Darchen at dawn

Golden hued Lord's Darshan 

  

Closeup view of south face from Darchen  shrouded by clouds 

From Darchen only the top portion  of the south face of teh Lord is visible. This is a close up view highlighting the face of teh Lord. If you see intently you can visualize the  three  eyes brows and the mouth. 

Full view bereft of clouds

While travelling from Tokchen  also we got he full darshan of the Lord while going back also we got the darshan  in the reverse order. As we were leaving the Lord we have to turn back and see him with gratitude we did so and had a nice darshan. Clouds came and shrouded for some time and then it cleared  this seemed to us that the Lord was playing hide and seek game with us the ardent devotees of HIM. 

South face and the east face extension

Full view of south est face with extension and Ganesha

Magnificent view of the Lord

As we approached Tokchen on the banks of Manasarovar where the administrative building and the parking area is  situated. We get the panoramic view. One can see the changing colors of other mountains and pure white Kailsh Peak soaring above as if  King and queen are seated in their majestic throne. 

Now the east face also visible 

This was the first darshan of this yatra at the conclusion also we got the same wonderful darshan 

 Gurla Mandata ranges and Manasarovar

After  a very good darshan of almost all the faces of the Lord and the nice kora by some yatris we reached Tokchen. There we profusely thanked Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati for their benevolence in inviting us to their home and giving their graceful darshan. Only one thing we missed was Astapath and the closer view of the Lord from there. Our guides told that the Chinese Gove has banned  vehicles now and so it is not possible to go there.   Not knowing when one will another chance we stood there in silence and absorbed all the vibrations from the Lord. Time stood still for some time. Then we sang some hymns thanked the Lord and prostrated before Him. Left home bu the bus we travelled from friendship bridge.  

Administrative  building and parking space at Tokchen 

The lucky seven who completed the parikrama by the Grace of the Lord

Rendering holy Tamil hymns 

We travelled in the blue bus you see in the photo from Tokchen  circumbulating and having  Holy bath in   Manasarovar  reached Darchen stayed there and completed the parikrama and returned back from Darchen to Tokchen by the same bus. Nowadays only Tibetan Transport  company buses are allowed and other vehicles are parked here only.  With happiness we profusely thanked the Lord and Mother and started our journey back home. 

The holy yatra continues . . . . . .

Holy Yatra to the Abode of Lord Shiva -12

Holy Bath in Manasarovar

Gowri Shankar Darshan 

The bus driver stopped the vehicle at a nice place where the water was crystal clear just at the feet of the Gurla Mandata peaks. The sherpas readied the shelter for dress changing and we all had the holy dip in Lake Manasarovar. One of the duties of a Kaialsh yatri is the holy dip in this lake and by the grace of Shivasakthi we could complete the same. The water was crystal clear at that place and the weather was also sunny and so we had a nice leisurely bath in Manasarovar. 

Getting ready for the Holy bath

The Holy bath 

A Holy bath in Manasarovar rids one of all His previous sins and they reach the Shivaloga all of us were blessed by the Lord that we could bath in the Holy water. 

Prayer to the Lord 

Shri Elangovan,  Kumaraswamy and Muruganandam  

 Parvathy and Jagadeesan 

Balasubramanian and Sujatha

Janarthanan  and Suganthi 

Sudhakar and Ramakrishanan 

After the bath in Manasarovar we all offered prayers to Lord Shiva for His Kindness in granting His darshan 

Offerings to the Lord

As we were taking bath cloud cover hid the Lord, we prayed to the Lord by chanting His hymns and sounded the conch, by His grace the cloud cover opened up as if a door was opened and we had the full darshan of the Lord and offered camphor lighting to Him. 

Radharaman, Rhama 

Chinnapappaiah, Chandra, Nagammal Kumari 

 Ramesh, Sekar, Revathy, Kalavathy, Malliga

Our group at Manasarovar 

After the holy bath and prayers to the Lord we again boarded the bus and travelled towards Zaidi our stay for the next two days. In between we enjoyed the beauty of Rakshas Tal also. The islands in this lake was clearly visible that day. By evening of the day we reached Zaidi and stayed there.

                                                                                               The  Holy yatra continues . . . . . . . . .

      

Holy Yatra to the Abode of Lord Shiva -10

THE FIRST DARSHAN OF THE LORD

At the sight of the Gurla Mandata peaks  we were  very much excited and were waiting for that moment  when we will have the first darshan of the Lord. 

Within some minutes the driver stopped the vehicle at a place called Tokchen and told here is Kailash.  We had the wonderful darshan of the Lord. There was no  cloud cover and  the view  was breathtaking. We had the view of the south and east faces of the Lord we were mesmerized by the  view. 

The first darshan of the Lord 

See how  perpetual snow covered  Holy  Kailash peak Lords over the sorrounding mountain ranges  as if the Lord and Mother are sitting on their majestic throne and    saving their children

Everybody was in an excited state at the darshan of the Lord. We prostrated and prayed to the Lord in their own way. The purpose for which everyone undertook the yatra got fulfilled that day. Time stoos still and we assimilated the fine darshan that the compassionate Lord  Shiva gave that day. 

Offering  prayers to the Lord

During the 2012 yatra we saw that a building was shaping at Tokchen in  2014 a glass panelled  majestic building  was there, but there were also many changes at this place which seves as the entry point for Manasarovar and Kailash.

  

The excellent darshan of  Lord shiva 

The main change we noticed here is both the Manasarovar and Kailash region is fully now in the control of the army. All along the way there were checkposts here at Tokchen we were asked to leave the bus in which we were travelling and were transferred to a  luxury bus of the Tibet Govt. 

The majestic building at Tokchen and the luxury bus 

The building serves as a resting point and also as a museum of sorts in which one can learn many things about  Kailash and Manasarovar. Particularly one panel depicting both RakshasTal and Manasrovar and the routes of  Outer Parikrama, Inner Parikrama  and Nandi Parikrama was very informative. It also containes an emergency no which one can contact for any assistance. Ambulances and military vehicles are ubiquitous all along the route. These are all improvements but the control is also there.  

After the prayer and some rest we started our parikrama of Manasrovar by the luxury bus of the Tibet Govt. at the entry point all our luggage were scanned by  X-ray machine.  

The building on the shores of Manasarovar

The interior of the building

 the panel  detailing the details of Kailash and the twin lakes

Rest before the  start of parikrama

The luxury buses

Thus the first darshan of the Lord was fantastic please wait to know how the remaining parts of the yatra unfolded. 

                                                                                              The  Holy yatra continues . . . . . . . . .