Kailash Manasarovar Yatra -2012 - 43

Return Journey from Darchen to Saga

Full view of  Kailash

Journey through semi desert

 Better Tar road .....

made the journey faster ......

and comfortable

 Our photographer Sundar

Tortuous road up the mountain

Nearing saga we had the taste of earlier dust road

As we were just outside darchen we had the fine darshan and full view of the south face of Mt. Kasilash along with eastern extension. We completed the Manasarovar parikrama and reached Hore. Thanked Shivasakthi for a nice darshan and successful parikrama and left for Saga. On the return journey we  travelled along the tortuous  tar road, as the road has been laid recently the journey was faster and comfortable. On the way we saw many mountain goats, grazing yaks,  sheep, snow covered peaks and lakes.  Nearing saga  we had the taste of the old mud road, for the one Km journey it took about one hour. Late in the night at about 10 Pm we reached Saga. Here also we stayed in ordinary accomodation.

Kailash Manasarovar Yatra -2012 -19

Brahmaputra River

Reflection

 Brahmaputra River

Brahmaputra near Saga

The Bridge across Brahmaputra

Prayer flags

Welcome arch of bridge

Saga Town

Leaving beautiful turquoise Paiku Tso Lake we travelled up to Brahmaputra river, having seen 10 Km  mighty Brahmaputra at Assam.  Here it looked like a pygmy. The Brahmaputra River is called Jamuna in Benagali, Dihang in Assam, Tsangpo in Tibetan and Yarlung Zangbo or Ya-lu-tsang-pu Chiang is a major trans-border river of Central and South Asia.

 It originates in the Kailash mountains of Himalayas and flows around 2900 Km to its confluence with the Ganges(Ganga) after which the mingled water drains into Bay of Bengal. Along it's course  it passes through the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and Bangladesh. Brahmaputra means Son of Brahma the creator, and also this does not drain directly into sea. 

The bridge built across the Brahmaputra near Saga is a great boon to all the Holy Kailash  yatri's. Prior to this the yatris and their vehicles were transported by boats across the river. Some times it happened so that they were forced to stay before crossing because of heavy rush. This bridge is also decorated with prayer flags to bless those who cross the bridge. After crossing the bridge we entered into the Saga Town. Around 3 PM we reached Saga,one of the biggest towns in this route. Saga is known as Kyakyaru in Tibetan, lies at an altitude of 4640 meters(15223 ft).Saga means "Happy Land". It's  one of the major garrison towns of China. The  Chinese Garrison which patrols the entire length of Tibetan-Nepalese border is stationed in this town. As there are many military installations, the yatri's are advised not to photograph same lest they may end up in some  trouble.

Saga is situated strategically in the confluence of Dargye Tsangpo and Brahmaputra rivers and the junction of three major roads Lhartse road coming from the east, the Dzongka  road from the south and the Purang and Drongpa road from the west. We can make the last minute purchases here in this town, There are many decent accommodation available here.     

 On reaching Saga our Sherpa informed us that we will not be staying here and will halt at Dongba.  From the outskirts of  Saga  the road was diverted as some construction work was going on. We experienced the bone rattling journey in the undulated topography which many earlier Kailash Yatri's have written about. To traverse this 4 Km mud track it took around 2 hours, but the driver drove the vehicle patiently. Later we reached Old Dongba.    As this village is situated in between  Saga and Purang it is a convenient for the yatris to stay here and reach Manasarovar the next day otherwise there used to be one night halt at Purang earlier.

We were ushered into a typical Tibetan  mud house accommodation here with open toilet.Many of our fellow yatris were disappointed with the type of accommodation provided and spoke to Shreshta Holidays representative in Nepal nut of no avail. More yatris fell because of long travel in high altitude. We rested for some time, and then chanted Rudram as that day was an auspicious Maha Pradosaham day an mportant day to Worship Lord Shiva. This day was a long day of Passes, Lakes and Snow Covered Peaks.

Kailash Manasarovar Yatra -2012 -18

Paiku Tso Lake

A snow capped montain peak

 A canal formed out of molten snow

A Tibetan house

Paiku Tso Lake

Gupta on the banks of Paiku  Tso Lake

Some of our group members stretching their legs after a long journey

Vibrant colors and elaborate designs inside the restaurant

Oven of Tibetans

Suthar with the Tibetan family

Suthar and Mukherjee

It was a down hill journey from Lalung La pass and we saw many Himalayan Goats, Eagles, crow and other animals on the way. The mountains were bald and brownish and at many  points they had written the names of the places in bold letters. Yaks and sheep were grazing in the grassland formed  out  the streams formed out of molten snow. Thus our journey continued for another two hours and we reached the picturesque Paiku  Lake. This part there is hardly any rain. 

Paiku lake is sits at  an elevation of 4600/15100 ft  and is a brght turquoise  sorrounded on the three sides by snow covered mountain peaks reaching near 6000 meters. The lake is 27 Km long and 6 Km wide at its narrowest. Streams fed by glaciers cascade to the valley floor and sink through alluvial sand before reaching the lake. The catchment area of the lake is endorheic meaning there is no outlet from this lake it can overflow into Brahmaputra once it reaches a level of 100 meters  and this has never happened so the water of the lake is still brackish.  

The sherpas stopped the bus for lunch at this scenic place we captured the beauty of the mountain peaks and the lake in our cameras and stretched our legs after a long journey and had our lunch in a nearby house. The inside of the house is panted with vibrant colors and elaborate designs. Normally the Sherpas prepare lunch  in the morning and carry them in hot packs and serve them at the time of lunch after heating them. Because of long journey and  elevation there was no appetite at all and also it took some effort to eat also. It's advisable to keep the body hydrated always so drink hot soup or dal and never travel empty stomach in these higher elevations.

After lunch and some rest we recommenced  our journey again as the highway was good the driver drove the vehicle at it's highest set speed and we enjoyed  the changing face of the mountains. . We could make out that the wind is howling from the dust storm created outside. After travelling for  about two hours like this we  crossed Brahmaputra River and reached Saga.    

Kailash Yatra 2011 - 4

The fourth day( 10-05-11) of the yatra is a rest day. Its not really a rest day, but a day of accliamtization ( adaptation to new climate ). As Kailash yatra is an high altitude yatra the body of the yatris should get accalimatized to high altitude as there is less oxygen in the atmosphere. So the yatris stay one day at Nilayam. Also if one gain height suddenly then they may get high altitude sickness like cerebral odema or pulmanory odema so to avoid this one day acclimatization rest is given at the start of the journey.

The yatris also use this as a day of practical trekking for the strenuous parikrama. They trek on a hill situated in Nylam. Here you can see Shri, Ravi along with his co yatri at the start of the trek.

The devotees of Lord Shiva

Up UP.. on the mountain

He has reached the top

It is always better to do regular exercises, yoga, pranayam, jogging etc one month prior to the start of the yatra so that it will not be difficult for you do the required trekking of parikrama of Kailash. as this one day trek willnot help you.

Beautiful view of Himalayas enroute to Lalangla pass

After taking one day's rest the yatri's continue their journey in landcruiser to Dongpa on the fifth day (11-05-11) enroute they first pass Lalangla pass which is situated at an altitude of 5124 m, have lunch at Saga( 4640m) .

Yatra continues.........

Holy Kailash yatra 2009 -10

யாத்திரை நிறைவு

தெற்கு முக தரிசனம் நந்தி மற்றும் கணேசருடன்

Holy view of South Face with Ganesh and Nandi

மூன்று நாட்களில் திருக்கயிலாய கிரி வலம் முடித்தபின் யாத்திரிகள் மீண்டும் டார்ச்சன் முகாமை வந்து அடைகின்றனர். அங்கிருந்து அஷ்டபத் சென்று ஐயனின் தெற்கு முக தரிசனத்தை அருகில் இருந்தும் பெறலாம். பின் முகாமில் தங்கியவர்களுடன் சேர்ந்து அனைவரும் தங்கள் இல்லம் செல்ல தங்கள் பயணத்தை துவக்குகின்றனர் மிகுந்த ஆனந்தத்துடன்.

After the completion of three days of parikrama of Holy Kailash with great satisfaction the yatris return back to Darchen base camp. From there they cam travel upto Asthapath and have the close up view of the south face and Ganesh and Nandi. Then they start their return journey to their homes with the satisfaction of a good darshan of Holy Kailash and parikrama.

The group of yatris thank the Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati for a good darshan. May be they are praying that this kind darshan should remain etched in memory for ever and we shoukd get this gokden chance of having your darshan again and again.

மலையரசன் பொற்பாவைக்கும் மலையான் மருகனுக்கும் தங்கள் நன்றியை தெரிவிக்கும் யாத்திரிகள். இந்த அனுபவத்தை நாங்கள் என்றென்றும் மறக்க முடியாது. மறுபடியும் மறுபடியும் தங்கள் தரிசனம் கிட்டவேண்டும் என்று வேண்டி நிற்கின்றனரோ?

The view of Tibetian children playing merrily at the feet of the Lord and also on the banks of Holy Manasarovar. These are nomadic people and graze their yaks and make a living and they do not have any permanent settlement.

ஐயனின் காலடியிலும் மானசரோவர் கரையிலும் விளையாடி மகிழும் திபெத்திய குழந்தைகள். இந்த திபெத்திய மக்கள் தங்கள் யாக் களை மேய்த்துக் கொண்டு நாடோடியாக அலைகின்றனர்.

The majestic view of Gurla Mandata ranges

குர்லா மாந்தாதா மலைத் தொடர்

யாத்திரையை இனிமையாக முடித்து விட்டு டார்ச்செனிலிருந்து கிளம்பி மானசரோவர் கரையில் உள்ள ஹோரேவை அடைந்து மானசரோவர் கிரி வலத்தையும் முடிக்கின்றனர். பின் அங்கிருந்து கிளம்பி பர்யாங், சாகா, நைலாமு வழியாக காத்மாண்டுவை அடைந்து பின் தங்கள் தங்கள் இல்லம் திருகின்றனர்.

At the end of the yatra the yatris leave from Darchen drive to Hore at the banks of Holy Manasarovar and cpmplete the parikrama of Manasarovar also and return to Kathamandu via paryang, Saga and Nylam.

Thanks to Kailai Bala for having allowed adiyen to use his yatra photos in this blog with this we have come to the end of outer parikrama series and with the next post we will start with some stunning views of Holy Kailash during Nandi parikrama and Inner parikrama, hope you will join the yatra in future also.

இப்பதிவுடன் திருக்கயிலாய யாத்திரை நிறைவு பெறுகின்றது. அநேகமாக அனைவரும் வெளி கிரி வலம் மட்டுமே வருகின்றனர். வெகு சிலரே நந்தி கிரி வலமும், உள் கிரி வலமும் வருகின்றனர். திரு கயிலை பாலா அவர்கள் இந்த இரண்டு கிரி வலங்களையும் சென்ற வருடம் முடித்தார் அந்தப் படங்களுடன் நாம் அடுத்த பதிவிலிருந்து காணலாம் அந்த அற்புத தரிசனத்தை, காணக் கிடைக்காத காட்சிகளையும் வந்து கண்டு களிக்குமாறு தாழ்மையுடன் வேண்டுகிறேன்.

ஓம் நமசிவாய

திரு கயிலை பாலா அவர்கள் திருக்கயிலை செல்ல நினைப்பவர்களுக்கு எப்படி முடியுமோ அது போல சேவை செய்ய ஆவலாக உள்ளார். விரும்பும் அன்பர்கள் அவரைக் கீழ்க் கண்ட மின்னஞ்சல் முகவரியில் தொடர்பு கொள்ளலாம்.

Kailai vamadevan Balaspramaniam Arimuthu kailaibala@gmail.com

மேலும் அவரது புகைப்படங்களின் தொகுப்பை முழுதுமாக காண இங்கே செல்லலாம்.

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