(A decade ago after a
trip to Tibet, Nepal and India, I wrote down my impressions. It was not meant
to be a book, however after it was read by some, it was suggested that if it
gets published, interested persons can use it. However I thought (and still
think) that the narration was more of a personal quest into Bhagavan Shiva and
that it may not interest a wider audience. Therefore instead of commercially
publishing it, I thought of placing it on a website of Publishing house Harper
Collins’s website known as Authonomy.com.
It remained on their website for people to review my narration for many years.
However, last year, when Harper Collins shutdown Authonomy.com and I realized
that some people still wanted to read my account, I decided to place all 26
chapters of that travelogue on this blog. Reader views and comments are welcome)
Thank You, O, Bhagavan
Shiva for the strength you gave us.
In Acknowledgement
Uncle Labhshanker Gaurishankar
Shukla who lived in Gujarat , was visiting us
in Mumbai. He expired in our home on May 7th 1972 at an age of 59. He was
eldest brother of my father, Madhusudan Gaurishanker Shukla, elder to him by 15
years. Papa spent his spare time doing a lot of social service, helped bringing
about ‘Ghatkopar-Local’ (Additional terminal on
Mumbai’s suburban train network)
and ‘Sarvajanik High School India
I thankfully acknowledge help and
cooperation of Sunita Kapadia and Jawaher Kapadia, Our dear family friends.
Sunita Ben being veteran of Kailash trip provided us with most vivid
information that was biggest help during our trip. Harish Bhatt (Dr.), my
cousin, a cardiologist who provided us with necessary medical certificates and
advised on what to stock up in our medicine chest. Harish Trivedi, Managing
Director, Travels company. Gautam, the group leader. Kami Sherapa, an Everest
veteran. Our co-tourists: Devout Mistry family of Rugby UK (Jyotsna Ben,
Ramanik Bhai, their son Prakash and daughter Nimisha, all of them were
extremely friendly and helped us at every stage), youthful devotee, Kanaiya
Galiel from Mumbai who works at a fashionable Mumbai gym as a fitness trainer,
and Shiva Radhakrishnan elderly devotee and retired IT hardware engineer from Canada,
Jugal Kishore Vyas, an elderly gentleman from Guna (Madhya Pradesh in India),
who helped us all the way till we were comfortably seated in the train to
Varanasi and Dr. V P Sharma, MD Medicine also from Guna.
Personally for me, Poonam was the
biggest help in every way. I must record here the incredible story of her
change of mind. She was not prepared for trekking around Mount Kailash
In the end the most important, to
Revered Pandurang Shastri, who gave a true perspective of Bhagavan
Shiva, idea behind pilgrimage and the method of putting in practice the ideas
that can change a man to be a better man with dignity by meaningful method of
Shiva worship. It was he who told us who King Divodas was. Winning a war is
easier than changing a man to be a better man. King Divodas bettered not one
man but thousands of them. It was greatest of the great feats. Human
upliftment, making a man into a good human. Pilgrimage is for communication
with God, for spreading God’s love, for confession, for saying thank you and
for showing gratitude to great people
who paved path for us and finally for two promises, one: not to repeat old
mistakes and two: for committing to do good work. All these in the august
presence of active deity and haloed by several other great beings!
The inspiration was of Pandurang
Shastri behind my promise.
In Confession
We must record here that Ganga in
Varanasi
There were a few other noteworthy
places which got omitted due to our inadequate pre-tour research and
preparation. These were some interesting spots that we could have easily
visited, as they were either on the same road or were in close proximity to our
trail. As guidance to any future tourist who takes this trail, I want to list
these places here, hoping that they do not miss as we did. Lumbini, the
birthplace of Bhagavan Buddha and the town Kapilvastu, his kingdom were
just a 30 minutes ride away from Bhairahawa in Nepal Gorakhpur
Last, but most important, the
‘changes’ that I have listed as having come in me should not fool anyone in
assuming me to have been metamorphosed into a sensitive, kind and a peaceful
person; that I am far from. I am still flawed and even flawed at that promise I
made.
In Miracles
Escape from sliding rock
Flash communication from departed
Continuously resonating ‘Om Namah Shivaay’
Darshan of Shiva-Parvati
on North face
Sudden disappearance of Pain from
Sprained Knee
Escape from Fire
No vehicular breakdown of our
Landcruiser
Fair weather most of the time,
ensuring almost uninterrupted Darshan, free from cloud, mist and rain
No altitude sickness
Poonam’s change of mind and her
decision to do Parikrama on foot
No other sickness or pain to both
of us, not even knee pain in the aftermath of trek.
In Recommendations
Pre-Trip
Gather knowledge of religious
aspects of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, also read historical, geographical,
political and topographical information on the areas that you would cover.
Persons who are familiar with stories surrounding Bhagavan Shiva and Mata
Parvati will derive greater joy. A good Camera and a binocular can increase
your joy manifolds
Be fit with daily Yoga and Pranayam
(Breathing exercise) well before even planning this trip. Strong lungs are
fundamental to trekking at high altitude in oxygen depleted atmosphere.
Choose a reliable tour operator
(ours was a par excellence), Take all the necessary things as suggested by them
(but keep to absolute minimum). Ask tour operator beforehand as to how much
free-cash would be required (Amounts charged for pony can change from time to
time depending upon season and demand. Also the exchange rate of Yuan varies
from time to time) Credit Cards are no help in Tibet
Take with you all the possible medicines
that one can need - regular medicines as well as emergency medicines. Good
walking shoes (ensure that they are not new, but slightly used, so as to not
give shoe-bite)
During Trip
When in Tibet
Do not shy away from abundant use
of, sun-block cream, thick cotton face mask (to filter fine dust from entering
your nostrils and mouth) and warm cap that covers both ears. (Failure to do
these would surely blacken and warp your skin, especially, you should be lucky
if skin on the tip of your nose does not blacken and start peeling by the time
you are back)
Eat as less as possible during
the trip, but do take energy pills, multivitamins, dry fruits, nuts and energy
drinks. Do not believe even your best friend if he advices you to ‘eat well’
and stuff your stomach.
It is a convention to warn
overseas tourists about dangers of drinking tap water. However, in my view tourists need not be
overly worried about drinking water, although some precautions are necessary. I
am not a resident of south Asia but I used tap
water almost everywhere (including at railway stations even in the ‘most
dangerous’ monsoon season) without any adverse effect. (I do use bottled water
if I am in a humid-warm territory that can be a fertile breeding ground of
germs and in certain other ‘obviously unhygienic’ places.) In drier places, far
away from sea, such as the places we visited, tap water seemed to be fine. At
some hotels, they provided tap water via normal commercial cooler with inbuilt
filter.
Tibetans are yet uncorrupted
simple people. Their children appreciate
small gifts such as pencils, sharpeners, erasers, scales, colors etc and their
small girls are very fond of ‘bindis’ to decorate their foreheads. I
highly recommend tourists to keep a good stock of these inexpensive yet useful
things that would bring cheer on their lovely pink faces. If your vehicle was
to stop anywhere on the route, soon enough you would find children of Tibetan
nomads, grazing their animals, surrounding you. This is a good time to hand
over some of those goodies.
In and around most temples and
holy rivers, you are likely to find filth, dirt and pollutants. If you find
filth, no need to remark, grumble, criticize or shout as if it is only you who
cares. Everyone knows, and every Tom, Dick and Harry does just that-idle
grumbling. None have succeeded in bringing about long-lasting improvements by
that technique. Do something different, perhaps more effective at the end of
the day. Find some time, talk with someone, anyone, about the great heritage
that he possesses; about the haloed significance of the place where he is
fortunate to live; do not complain that the temples and rivers are filthy; let
it dawn upon him by his own mind that his surroundings, the holy temples and
holy rivers that people come to from all over the world, travel thousands of
kilometers in their reverence, deserve a better ambience. And if you happen to
meet a person who does not care about heritage but who is more ‘practical’,
tactfully talk to him that good ambience encourages longer stay and
consequently more business and more money coming from tourists.
Try to meet trustees of temples,
social workers, hospitals, other charities. See their working, understand them,
and appreciate them and if felt like, make donations to deserving institutions
who are engaged in upholding true values.
It should have been first, but
purposefully, I have kept following recommendations as last: Please, please,
please, spend as much time possible in meditation and Godly thoughts. Do not
vile away time in meaningless discussions; having come all the way to Kailash,
Pashu-Pati-Nath or Kashi-Vishwa-Nath; do say something to God. He listens. Be
perceptive towards any changes that you may observe.
All said and done, if for some
reason, Kailash-Manasarovar Darshan eludes you, do not be upset, no one can
help it. Just pray; truly only God can help here. I have personally known cases of pilgrims who
had to turn back due to avalanches and excessive snow or hail storms even after
having reached all the way to the Darchen base camp and even after being
physically fit.
After Trip
You may want to thank God for
everything done by Him. Your relatives, friends and acquaintances would
appreciate if you were to share tour Prasad with them when they visit
your home; the holy water of Manasarovar, the Bilva-Leaf (from
Pashu-Pati-Nath or Kashi-Vishwanath) or any other items such as flaked sugar
etc. that you may have brought from there. Also if they want to know, do share
your tour experiences and pictures.
End
Om, Namah Shivaay,
indeed. “O God, I reverently bow to Bhagavan Shiva”
