Kailash Mansarovar Nilesh D. Nathwani.

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Kailash Mansarovar

Nilesh D. Nathwani

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One feels happier having read it, unless perhaps one were healthy enough to make the journey oneself. Even then, it's worth reading, but nothing would quite compare to seeing it oneself.

There's much seemingly strange in the work which is referred to by both, author and his friend who wrote the foreword, as booklet.

One of the chief strange things is jumbled of symbols, seemingly meaningless. One has to wonder if they acquire a meaning for anyone.

An example thereof is an ó repeated in more than one place. Another big one is right at the beginning, where

"INVOCATION

"¬ ue% 'kEHkok; p e;ksHkok; p ue% 'kadjk; p e;Ldjk; p ue% f'kok; p f'korjk; p A µ;tqosZn 16%41"

is followed by a very well known mantra of India's prayer to and worship of Shiva.

"Om Namah Shambhavaya cha Mayobhavaya cha

"Namah Shankaraya cha Mayaskaraya cha

"Namah Shivaya cha Shivataraya cha.

"óYajurveda 16/41"

This is followed by translation of the mantra into English.

No explanation of the strange jumble of letters and symbols is forthcoming.

One has to guess that invocation meant to be given was the mantra.

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Diary titles the main part, the description of the journey.

The extensive list of Illustrations given in table of contents seems when looking at the book like chapter titles, but those are captions of the photographs illustrating the text, of the beautiful locale, except some have been given with an inexplicable rotation of 90°! As is the map of the journey at the beginning of the diary, which renders it difficult at best to read.

Looking at the map, this group seems to have done what would be considered - throughout most of India - an Apapradakshinaa of Kailash, whether by motorable road in a vehicle or by helicopter. It's unclear why.

Merely to thumb their noses at India? In the spirit of the foreword, where Vinod says that main reason for publishing this booklet as he terms it, is to inform the Hindus that there are no swans nor lotuses in Manasarovar?

But to anyone with slightest thought it ought to be clear that such beauty thereof that abounds in ancient descriptions, must have once existed, before the Himaalaya rose to heights that support little life, and lifted plateau of Tibet higher to where nothing grows.

After all, swans are common to be seen throughout Europe, especially in Northern latitudes of West Europe, and so are nymphea, which along with lotuses abound throughout India. So their existence in Himaalaya once upon a time is quite reasonable, whether or not they still existed right upto just before Chinese occupation of Tibet ended both.

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"At Kathmandu we stay at the Hotel Vaishali, which offers a lot of luxuries. On 14 April we walk through the city to get our first impressions. Kathmandu impresses me with its historical Durbar Square and Pashupatinath Temple. Looking at the idol of Pashupatinath (Shiva) carved on a black stone (probably a meteor) one feels that He has a mystic power. I think the eyes are living and watching me intensely. It reminds me of a few lines of an eloquent sonnet called

"The Stone Goddess:

"In a town of gods, housed in a little shrine,

"From sculptured limbs the Godhead looked at me,

"A living Presence deathless and divine,

"A Form that harboured all infinity."

Electrifying, this sudden encounter with what can only be from Sri Aurobindo, although it's unclear why the name isn't mentioned here. Author does mention it elsewhere.

If viewing Pashupatinath reminds the author of what Sri Aurobindo wrote of his experience, it's unlikely Pashupatinath deserves the label idol. It sounds like a Living Presence.

And no wonder.

Oh, the name does follow, but with that strange symbol again.

"óSRI AUROBINDO"

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"Most of the mountains I know are part of a range of mountains. The Himalayan, the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush are a range and so also are the Austrian Alps. This cannot be said of Kailash though there is a small Kailash range of hills around. Kailash as a mountain is unique. It stands solitary, majestic like a pyramid. Its colour is completely different from the ground on which it stands. The photographs of Kailash also prove the veracity of this fact. It gives an impression of an extraterrestrial object. It has a rounded peak. Its colour is a lustrous black - grey, only a flush of grey on the muzzle. One gets a constant feeling that Kailash has some magnetic currents around it as if it contains iron ore. Or is it really a meteor that has collected magnetic power in its journey towards Earth?"

Others have opined that it's too perfect a pyramid to be natural. Then again, perhaps pyramids were imitations thereof?

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"All these make Kailash different from others. Still, one may ask, is it sufficient to make Kailash so holy? It has enjoyed its sacred reputation since very early times of history. There must be some different reason for this attribute given to it. May be with time we have forgotten it."

Now that's silly, after his description of having been overcome at the sight, and writing poems which he's included here.

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"The key to the mystery may be as simple as ever. Our world has always worshipped extraterrestrial objects. There is no doubt about it. Many of the worldís holy icons devotedly worshipped by Christians, Muslims and Hindus are apparently extraterrestrial meteors. The loving and compassionate black Madonna of Montserrat in Spain, the shining and powerful Holy Kaíbah of Mecca, the living and breathing Sri Nathji (Sir Lord) of Nathdwara with His eyes keeping us under divine surveillance, are all forms of black stone, apparently from meteors. Kailash is an object of worship as far as our memory takes us back. Shiva is traditionally and symbolically worshipped in the temples as Shiva Linga, again a black stone. The image of the dancing Shiva is framed in a ring of flames. A meteor is also a ball of fire. There are sure reasons for such symbols attributed to Shiva whose abode is Kailash. The question remainsóis Kailash extraterrestrial? ... "

Interesting details about Montserrat et al, but Kailash? Unlikely.

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"There is another strange feature of Kailash. On the south face of Kailash one notices some deep horizontal cuts in the mountain stone. These cuts give the impression of a staircase rising to heaven. The Hindu scriptures have very often mentioned of a staircase to heaven. We are all aware of it in our minds. I wonder if it tallies with this staircase. We all know the legend of Mahabharata. Yudhishthira (also called Dharma Raj) climbed the steps with his faithful dog and knocked at the gates of heaven. Apparently Maryada Purushottam Rama Dasharathi of Ayodhya also climbed the steps to heaven. Were these the steps of Kailash? If you visit a Shiva temple and observe the Shiva Linga, it is marked with three horizontal white lines, which are drawn on the black linga. Worshippers of Shiva also mark their foreheads with three horizontal lines as a sign of the third eye leading to a mysterious horizon. I wonder if this has something to do with the horizontal cuts on Kailash.

"When in history was the beginning of this reverence for Kailash? The question also remains, why is Kailash equally holy for Buddhists and Hindus. Why are there restrictions to climbing it? Why are the Gods and great saints the exceptions? All accept the belief that Kailash should not be climbed. The governments of India, Tibet and China respect this religious view. Even today no permission is granted to climb the peak of Kailash. Why can one go around Kailash in parikrama or cora as the Tibetans do and not climb it? How did the association of Kailash with divinity start? Why is Kailash considered the central hub of the universe? These are the questions that arise for which I have no answers. Hence, I lay them safely at the feet of Lord Shiva who sits here in perpetual meditation. He does not answer me. I cannot get over the feeling that Kailash is mystic and divine in its appearance. It is extraterrestrial."

If Nathwani had courage to leave West and skepticism behind, if he didn't fear being seen as only an Indian, he'd not be so afraid of his having been overcome at the sight of Kailash, and feeling that it's "mystic and divine". He'd not need to explore if it's merely an extraterrestrial object and he's undergoing a malaise common to most of humanity, that of emotions at sight of extraterrestrial stuff! 'Chariots Of Gods' started these trends, and whatever truth be, humanity need not resort to assigning every stupendous object to extraterrestrial origins.

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" ... Suddenly I find that I am in a hospital. It is a very confusing and a perturbing situation. I can see my body lying on an operation table, paralysed - as if dead - and I am perfectly conscious. It is not as if I am dreaming. When one dreams things are in a misty spirit, above reasons. One slithers in the flow of events regardless of oneís desire. Here I am conscious. I am in complete possession of my spirit. I am able to use my will. I am fully aware that I am being operated for the problem of nocturia. Somebody gives me a spinal injection. I feel the prick and the piercing pain. The injection gives me instant numbness that steadily but inexorably creeps up in my whole body. I am panting for breath. I feel that something has gone terribly wrong with me. I hear somebody saying that the patient is withdrawing. The doctor who is operating on me is Hemant Mehta. Dr. Mrinalini Mehta is assisting him. She runs helterskelter. I see a Tibetan nurse feeling my pulse. Vinodbhai in a white coat is administrating oxygen. I realize what this means. I realize my time is ending. I meditate on my third eye as I do every morning and chant :"

Again, there's another string of symbols and letters that looks gibberish, before the mantra.

Nathwani recalled, or recited, one after another -

"om tat saviturvaran rupam jyotih parasya dheemahi, yannah satyena deepayet.

"SRI AUROBINDO"

"antakale cha mameva smaranmuktva kalevaram,

"Yah prayati sa madbhavam yati nastyatra samshayah."

"(BHAGAVAD GITA 8/5)"

"Then I recite silently my favourite lines from Sri Aurobindoís Savitri:

"I smite the Titan who bestrides the world

"And slay the ogre in his blood-stained den.

"I am Durga, Goddess of the proud and strong.

"And Lakshmi, the queen of the fair and fortunate.

"(SRI AUROBINDO ñ Savitri, Book 7/4)"

"On reciting these powerful lines, a profound peace descends on my entire being. A light and a power penetrate through my slumberous body. I slowly gain power as if Durga has strengthened my entire being and made me strong. A marvel profoundly proceeds. I, who happened to be at the porch of a latent land from where no traveller ever returns, have come.

He's at a spiritual level where at point of death he viewed himself clearly, recited from Sri Aurobindo and from Bhagawadgeeta, and then doesn't want to admit where help came from, but resorts to seemingly skeptical questioning at a silly level. It's not any stray "poetry or mantra" that necessarily have "so much force", but a specific poem may be mantra, depending on source.

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" ... Sadhu Rajendra intends to go around Kailash one hundred and eight times on his holy and holey shoes. This, he thinks, will make him stalwart spiritually. On the day we, who are equipped with the best of the western warm attire, retreated from our parikrama, he passed the Golma La Pass with his canvas shoes and completed his circling of Kailash. For one moment, I feel like a hedonist who has come here to satiate my pleasure hunting curiosities. He is a zealous seeker whose only mission is to eruditely discover the science of the spirit."

"There is a look of ecstasy in his eyes as he tells me that while circling Kailash everyday, he meets an Indian lady (Yogini) who has lived in the caves of Kailash for more than a hundred years to meditate strenuously. A gush of cold winds blow into my face and I shiver. My eyes are wet with tears. I wonder how many more mysteries Shiva holds in His chest. I have a photo taken with Sadhu Rajendra."

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" ... All my fantasy fails to answer me. While I am searching for an answer, four powerful closing lines of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri from Divina Commedia ñ Paradiso flash before me.

"Allí alta fantasia qui mancò possa;

"Ma già volgeva il mio disio e 'l velle,

"Si come ruota chíigualmente è mossa

"Líamor che muove il sole e líaltre stelle. "

"The vigour failed the towering fantasy;

"Yet, like a wheel whose speed no tremble mars,

"Desire rushed on, its spur unceasingly

"The Love that moves the sun and the other stars.

"(Divine Comedy- Paradise) (Translation: Amal Kiran)"

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"He makes the hours pivot around her will,

"Makes all reflect her whims; all is their play

"This whole wide world is only he and she.

"(SRI AUROBINDO ñ Savitri Book, 1:4)"

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" ... There is no greater holy water than Mansarovar. Even the waters of the holy Ganges fall a little lower in degree in holiness to the water of Mansarovar. We have travelled so far to Mansarovar and not taking a bath in the holy water would deprive us of the mystic effect of holy water in our esoteric lives. We are conscious that we have not had regular daily baths during the journey. To dip in Mansarovar would dirty the clear, divine waters. So we find a solution. Our kitchen personnel erect a tent about two hundred metres away from the shore. The holy Mansarovar water is carried to the kitchen tent in containers and warmed up and we take a bucket bath in the tent. This way we bathe with the holy water, not dirty the lake, and quench our desire to be liberated from all karmic debts. On 9 May we are leaving Kailash and Mansarovar behind us. It is a million dollar memory for life and life after. The image of Mansarovar in the backdrop of Kailash is the crown of our pilgrimage.

"It is 10 May. We are proceeding southeast towards Sagarmath. On the 11th we drive towards Tingri towards the Everest base camp. We spend the 11th, 12th and 13th in the ambience of the great Everest. The name Everest given to this magnificent mountain is not the original name. It is a gift of British colonialism. In the year 1856 it was so named to honour Sir George Everest who was then in the service of British India. Sir Everest probably never saw or visited the mountain given his name.

"We indulge in an orgy of photography in the words of Stephen Venables. Film after film is loaded and exposed. One hears the shutters of the cameras buzzing constantly. The shutters buzz so often that I feel that a team of maharajas is squeezing the triggers of their rifles to shoot one single Bengal tiger. We photograph Sagarmath in the morning and in the evening light. Hemantbhai remains remote and frames his photos alone as always. Kunjbhai has a wide variety of photos in slides and negative films, taken with his different cameras. Mrinalini is always co-operative and helpful in taking my photos against the backdrop of Sagarmath. Jagdishbhai is so engrossed in the gripping beauty that he pays no attention to my offers to take some memory pictures of him. In this mood we walk from there towards the North base camp, to the tents where mountaineers from different countries of the world are ready to conquer Sagarmath.

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"On the way we visit Rongbuk Monastery and meet a group of local pilgrims who drink and sprinkle on each other the water of a holy spring that flows between the old monastery and the new one on the side of Everest. These pilgrims are poor, very friendly and colourful. Their penury is evident from their clothes. Unfortunately, I have left my camera behind. I request Kunjbhai to take my pictures with some of these pilgrims.

"We meet them again at the Rongbuk Monastery. These solemn pilgrims crowd the terrace of the monastery. They are very kind. Each of them offers to share with us the little food they are having at the terrace. We walk through their crowd taking a grain from each of them, honouring their sentiments. We cannot talk to them. We only greet them with Taschideli, a greeting amongst Tibetans. Faith and piety binds us together. Kunjbhai is very busy taking their photographs with Everest thrusting its head skyward in the background.

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"I follow Vinodbhai in the cave of the mountain. He suggests that I see the meditation enclave of the monastery as he has just been there. A monk offers him coffee, which Vinodbhai is delighted to accept. While Vinodbhai is sipping coffee, the monk takes me to the meditation enclave that is deep down in the mountain. The monk tells me that Nagarjun came here and stayed at the monastery. He also meditated in this same cave. I feel as if I am in Alibabaís cave. No light penetrates into the depth of the meditation enclave. The Buddhist monk lights a candle. The burning candle dispels the total darkness. It is a magic touch. Gold glitters in the light. What state is this? I ask myself. I am dazzled. I feel as if I am transferred to another dimension.

"I have a strong urge to meditate. For the first time I have success in meditation. This success is the very hub of my pilgrimage. I realise that I am not simply my body. No materialist can from this moment render arguments and persuade me otherwise. Without this magnificent experience I would have been disillusioned. My enthusiastic efforts to make such a long journey would have been in vain. I would ask myself if meditation has any value at all. Now my experience assures me that meditation is the crown of all activities of a man during his life. It is a conscious process to inward progress.

"I do not notice any loud breathing even though there is little or no air. I forget my bodily existence. I see myself carried away in a trance. I am far away from all activity. I am bathing and drenched in the silver Mansarovar. The lake is in a form of a silver plate. I feel as if I am surfing through a delusion. A pair of white swans circle the lake. The air is fragrant with the scent of flowers. It is not cold. I do not get the touch of ice water. It is as if the lake contains liquid peace. I feel as if I am dipping and soaking in pure silver light. I experience as if I am a witness to a new cosmic creation around me. The source of this creation is Kailash in front of me. It looks as if the heaven has stooped down to kiss the sacred mountain. On top of Kailash there is a white temple with a beautiful long staircase in white marble. I see Shiva sitting in front of the temple, serene and sovereign in perpetual meditation. Around His blue neck is curled a shiny serpent, I have never known in my life. The Lord is grace and glory, beauty, bliss and benevolence all at once. Some sort of mysterious divine music (not a bhajan) is all persistent and entirely around me. I am listening to a hymn of timeless creation. Everything is in a flux of creation. Each movement is accompanied by a distinctive tone of its own. Looking up, in the imperishable lustre of the blue sky, I smell the tremulous sweetness of happy air around me. At one moment I think I have always been here. There is no past, present or future. It is a feeling of perpetuity at one moment, at one bang. It seems time has declined to be. It has joined hands with eternity in an enormous felicity. Countless white lilies are floating in the air. I am enveloped in total perfection. No wishes rush and my mind is in absolute peace. How can my moderate language express the beauty of this heavenly setting? How can my inadequate mortal speech express the splendour of an esoteric world?

"I try to climb the white marble stairs. I want to reach Shiva in front of the temple. I hear a voice asking me repeatedly, do you know yourself ? I ask myself, do I know myself ? I am confused. I don't know myself. Hence, I am unable to form a candid reply. One complaint I have against myself is that, at such moments I am always dumbfounded and unable to express myself in words. At this moment I wish I had confidently said, yes, I know who I am. But alas, words fail me more than ever. Being in a state of perplexity, not knowing the answer, I come down to myself, in my body seated in the lighted cave. I feel my body is very heavy. My spirit is light with innate joy.

"For a moment I don't recognise the room. Sitting before me is the Buddhist monk and not Shiva. I now capture what has happened. Never shall I forget the impact of this experience. I leave the meditation room in a reflective frame of mind. I wish I could stay longer in meditation. In fact I feel I should stay here, at this monastery forever. The impact of spiritual force and experience remains with me while I descend the hill of the monastery. All the time I wonder if this is really the fulfilment of my wish for vision of Shiva, made as the shooting star fell down during the night of 26 April. I get a strong inner confirmation."

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" ... The Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry once gave a message, Oùque soit notre corps, si dans notre cæur nous nous concentrons sur le Seigneur, Il est là avec nous12. The pilgrims see Shiva who resides already in their hearts. They are inspired to continue their pilgrimage along the mythological path, seeing Gods in the heavenly abode of Lord Shiva. ... To ignore and judge the accounts of many saints and regard Kailash as an ordinary mountain is a great loss for all those sceptical visitors who want to go there simply for trekking. To remain suspicious of religion may affirm that one is rational, intelligent and different from the masses. This may help feed oneís ego. Or it may be that one is turning a blind eye to the real inner enemies living within us in the forms of egoism, arrogance, complexes or even fear - fear of facing a mighty power. To accept Kailash as the abode of the Lord, is the right approach for any rational being. The immediate awards are bountiful and remind us of our duty towards nature. Nature is a sufficient boon to feel Bliss-world as a concrete experience of reality right in front of us. It is proper to accept that a mighty power, that is The Law of Nature, exists. There is no doubt that this has the power of changing the destiny of an individual, a nation or even the entire world. This becomes very evident when one sees Lord Shiva sitting at Kailash in perpetual peace. When we see Him as a paragon of peace, harmony will flow into us if we allow it to penetrate by way of meditation. Kalidasa says in a daring image that the snow-rocks of Kailash are Shivaís loud world-laughters piled up in utter whiteness and pureness on the mountain-tops. It is true; and when their image falls on the heart, then the worldís cares melt away like the clouds below into their real nothingness.13

"12. Wherever is our body, if we concertrate in our heart on the lord, there He is with us."

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"On the 17th, we return to Kathmandu to prepare ourselves for the flight to Lhasa, the next stage of our pilgrimage. Today is April 18 and it is a full moon night, Kailash will be in full glory. It is an auspicious day dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is an excellent day to start a journey - a journey to Kailash. The morning air is fragrant and the golden light of the sun caresses our high aspirations. We fly to Lhasa. A realisation of a dream is in the making. On the plane a Lama is flying with us. He is flying with a group of his followers. Ten minutes after taking off, we see the Himalayan range. An ocean of mountains stretches below us. From above, it appears as if the mountain-heads will assail the sky, pushing towards rival shoulders and pointing towards us.

"It is a sight of wonder. The immense impact it leaves on my mind tells me that this is the proof that a mighty power, whom we call God, exists. There is no need for an ontological argument to prove His existence. Beauty is one of the rare things that lead to the proof that God exists. No one is blinder than one who does not want to see Him in His creation. The beauty of the Himalayan world captivates our souls. First we see Gaurishankar and Kanchenjunga, a set of very beautiful mountains. Then, Harishbhai points out Everest. Everestís indigenous name is Sagarmath, meaning the cliff in the ocean of mountains (how poetic). Below us is the Sagarmath in full stretch, in the true meaning of the word. Adjacent to Sagarmath is Makalu, an unusual peak standing majestically. We continue to be wonderstruck. We are so deeply engrossed in the Himalayas beneath us. Time turns to a moment. The flight is short. We do not realise that we are flying in the Tibetan sky."

In government school curriculum in Delhi we were taught that Gaurishankar was original name of the tallest peak of Himaalaya, presumably renamed Everest after an English man by the British regime in accordance with Macaulay policy of wiping out everything good about India.

After all, America must have had names in native languages that local tribes used. European invaders renamed the whole continent after a minor sailor.

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"I can give not what men call love.

"But will thou accept not

"The worship the heart lifts above

"And the Heavens reject not.

"óNILESH DWARKADAS NATHWANI"

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"On an October evening in 1999, at a marriage reception in London, I unexpectedly bumped into Kunj Trivedi, a friend from Kenya. I was surprised to meet him after so many years. More surprising than that was his sudden but spontaneous invitation to join him on an excursion to Tibet. The excursion was planned for April - May 2000, to take maximum advantage of the good weather. The idea was to drive across Tibet to the holy mountain of Kailash and to the legendary lake Mansarovar where innumerable spiritual Indians down the ages have acquired inner realisation. ... Nature for me is the dynamic face of the Ultimate Reality that is immutable. Such adventures have constantly excited me and never would I let an opportunity like this be put aside. The group was to have a maximum of seven persons and would be led by an experienced mountaineer from Mumbai, Harish Kapadia. It is normally difficult to get Harish as a leader. He is as busy as a bee, travelling and leading numerous international mountaineers. Still, he agreed to lead these amateur trekkers, as he is Kunj Trivediís friend. Kunj himself is an avid photographer of a very high calibre. His 1998 calendar entitled CATS, won him international fame amongst photographers and friends. The calendar consists of the most brilliant photos of wildlife I have ever seen. On this journey, Kunjís aim was to take splendid photos of Kailash and Mansarovar."

Next part is confusing, since it says the protagonist thought of the author.

" ... We needed one more companion. I straightaway thought of Nilesh Nathwani in Vienna. Nilesh is not a very easy person to put up with. His thinking is totally different. ... "

So are there joint authors writing under one name?

There's considerable amount of description of the author following, of flattering nature.

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"xKAILASH-MANSAROVAR

" ... We were looking for something from the Indian point of view, something that blended travel and philosophy. A lot of books were available on mountaineering and more than enough on Everest. We were looking for books on Kailash and Mansarovar. They remained untraced. We got some information and photos from our group leader. Later on we found that the lack of literature and information was normal. While on our way back from Mansarovar we met a group of Indiansódoctors and barristersówho were on their way to Kailash. They also lacked information. They asked us all sorts of questions. Whether we had seen some white swans swimming in Mansarovar or if the lake had lotus blooms. There is nothing like that at Mansarovar and yet there is much more, I assure you. Mansarovar is half frozen even in summer and there are no inhabitants around the lake except for nomads on the move. There are neither temples nor pundits who offer to do your pujas. Still, not enough can be experienced or said."

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"DIARY OF A PILGRIM xi

"The only way to supply information to such ardent seekers is to write about our experiences. To tell these dedicated friends of Kailash and Mansarovar that we saw neither swans nor lotuses nor met Gods who spoke to us. My fear was that if I asked Nilesh to release his diary to the public, he would surely not do so. So I kept my lips sealed. I have no idea what led him to make public his experiences. This is a mystery for me as much as his person. However I am glad he decided to publish his story. I appreciate it and it is my pleasure to write this foreword to his petite livre."

That explains the mystery. Foreword is by another traveller.

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" ... In a few years from now a motorway to Kailash and Mansarovar will surely be constructed and change the pilgrimage. That will be the beginning of a new culture of pilgrimage in Tibet. One can then imagine dhabas (wayside food stalls), restaurants and hotels along the motorway. Kailash ñMansarovar may become so much of a tourist attraction that future visitors may witness the Gods in more luxury than that offered in heaven. Filmmakers may also discover and commercialise this paradise. Our tale will then have little merit. That is perhaps the future scenario. For the present, some individuals may possibly profit from this diary. Some other aged persons, who have kindled in them a lifetimeís desire to make a journey to Kailash Mansarovar before their final journey and who are physically unable to do so now, may read this booklet, live our pilgrimage and bless us. For us there can be no bigger blessings."

Some of us could do without loud sounds pervading the atmosphere, garbage strewn, but nevertheless like friendly alternatives such as clean facilities and easier transport to help see the place of aspirations of India despite health considerations.

"Diwali, óVINOD BUDDHEO

"26th October, 2000"

That name ought to be spelt Buddhadev, or Buddhadeo, to make any sense whatsoever.

That symbol, ó, repeats often in the book, and it's unclear if it's a repeated mistake or is supposed to have significance.

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Diary titles the main part, the description of the journey.

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"On 13 April 2000, I arrive at Kathmandu Tribhuvan airport and am garlanded by Raju, our travel agent. Tribhuvan literally means three worlds. I feel as if I am going to enter a journey to the three worlds of esoteric planes. I have travelled much in my life. This time I have completely different intentions. The difference lies in my attitude. In the past I travelled for a holiday or distraction. This time I am travelling for fulfilment. Hence this is a journey packed with a lot of emotions."

Obviously there's some difference of stance between the friends, author Nathwani and friend Vinod.

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"The Stone Goddess:

"In a town of gods, housed in a little shrine,

"From sculptured limbs the Godhead looked at me,

"A living Presence deathless and divine,

"A Form that harboured all infinity."

Electrifying, this sudden encounter with what can only be from Sri Aurobindo, although it's unclear why the name isn't mentioned here. Author does mention it elsewhere.

If viewing Pashupatinath reminds the author of what Sri Aurobindo wrote of his experience, it's unlikely Pashupatinath deserves the label idol. It sounds like a Living Presence.

And no wonder.

Oh, the name does follow, but with that strange symbol again.

"óSRI AUROBINDO"

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"For richness of beauty, the Pashupatinath temple has few parallels in the world. The splendour of the templeís architecture is unrivalled. Its regal origins can be discerned in the magnificence of its imposing arch entrance, allowing pilgrims tantalising glimpses of the divine interior. The simple architecture inside the premises is adorned with open corridors and tall multiple pillars emphasising each individual's smallness in the overall schema. A generation of monarchs of Nepal have spent lavishly on the temple, giving free reign to the skills of the artists and craftsman who constructed this magnificent place of worship. This shows the unity of all manómonarch or simple citizen, we all offer to God and receive his blessings in return; the limits of human knowledge prevent us from knowing the favours we receive from Him."

"On 15 April we travel to a remote village in Nepal. We spend the 15th and 16th in a holiday resort called Nagarkot in complete tranquillity. Nagarkot is an hourís drive from Kathmandu on a dusty and winding uphill road. If the visibility is crystal clear, which is rare, one can have a distant view of Everest. Nagarkot is also known for its stimulating sunsets. The idea of spending two days in Nagarkot is to acclimatise and prepare us for the long journey in mountainous Tibet. Here our team is complete when Jagdishbhai arrives from Hong Kong to join us. We go for long walks and enjoy the mountain air, relaxing in the tranquil atmosphere of nature in Nepal. No one should attempt a pilgrimage to Tibet without acclimatisation. This golden rule should be observed to obtain the ultimate joy of travelling. To be sick and to travel is a curse.

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After all, America must have had names in native languages that local tribes used. European invaders renamed the whole continent after a minor sailor.

................................................................................................

"Soon Lhasa is sighted. We try to have a birdís eye view of the Potala Palace. I canít see it. We descend. Gonggar airport has a strange atmosphere. It is fully guarded for security and one really feels that big brother is watching constantly. The Lama flying with us gets a flamboyant welcome. A large number of Buddhist priests in saffron coloured robes receive him. Each one is presented with a silk scarf by him as blessing. Jigme, our Tibetan guide also receives us by putting a silk scarf on us as per dwelling tradition. I feel as if I am a part of the Lama sect. The airport is ninety-six kilometres away from the centre of the city and it is one and a half hourís drive to Lhasa.

"The ride to Lhasa is beautiful along the river Brahmaputra. Entering Lhasa, we are surprised to see that it is a modern city with numerous hotels and a shopping arcade. My eyes look for Potala Palace. Not in sight as yet. I have to wait until the evening. The first time I see it is in the shadow of dusk. On April 19, 20 and 21, we see and are able to photograph Potala to our heartís contents. The Potala palace got its name from the hill on which it stands, the Potala meaning the Red Mountain. Lhasa is 3660 metres above sea level and is called the roof of the world. It is surrounded by dark and barren hills. The river Skyid Chu, that is a tributary of the Brahmaputra flows on one side of the city."

................................................................................................

"After the Chinese occupation of Tibet, in October 1950, and in the absence of the Dalai Lama, the cultural heritage of the city had been slowly diminishing. The flight of the Dalai Lama to India led to the closing of many monasteries, followed by countless killings. The occupation brought constant denigration of Tibetan religious practices. Monasteries and temples were pulled down and no religious rites were allowed even in the event of death. The conqueror dictated terms and diktats. The national museum in the city still meekly cowers under the Chinese influence on the culture of Tibet. Its sole purpose is to justify the occupation. However, one cannot fail to see the massive Indian influence of Hinduism, Hindu architectures, the language and script.

"Modernisation and development are acceptable, but not at the cost of an ancient heritage. One cannot deny the fact that Lhasa, as all other cities of the world, needs to modernise. During the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, life for the monks deteriorated distinctly until the government reversed its policy on religion. After the Cultural Revolution, China reversed its policies by restoring the Tibetan culture. Religious freedom is now largely restored, monasteries have been allowed to be reopened and rebuilt. Traditional rites and practices are again permitted. Once again one can smell the fragrant incense in the air, pray with rosaries and turn prayer wheels in the monasteries. Lhasa has recently started to modernise and is a city of greater opulence and beauty than Kathmandu simply by virtue of its altitude and history. While Kathmandu is polluted, Lhasa is dirt-free, cold, sunny and submerged totally in its historical cultural beauty.

................................................................................................

"The Chinese have recently understood that the loss of Tibetan cultural heritage would stagnate the economic growth of Tibet. Hence they have revitalised it by maintaining the culture of Tibet. The Potala (like the Vatican), with its immense treasures of gold, art and architecture is now maintained for tourists and brings admiration for the Chinese administration. It is a big source of income. The numerous large palace rooms are full of scroll paintings - metal and wooden images decorated in rich gold. These images display a culture based purely on religion. The paintings show ancient legendary tales, historic events, the behaviour, attitude and minute gestures of deities and demons. The deities and the demons are characterised through varying colour tones and different facial expressions. The deities display peaceful, poised and moderate expressions, while the demons show expressions of anger and destruction. There are several rooms with tombs of deceased Lamas. These rooms have massive gold figures of lions and display the wealth of the Tibetan rulers of the past. Yak butter lamps burn constantly around domes and devout Tibetans pray and meditate in silence. One can enter these meditation enclaves with shoes on. I feel very happy to see the grandeur of Tibet, displayed abundantly in the rooms of the splendid Potala Palace. One certainly gets the general impression that the Potala is very rich and now well maintained. There is not much corruption. I enjoy the time spent at the palace very much."

But it's very reminiscent of mounted head or splendid stuffed body of a hunted trophy on exhibition, rather than the living culture that once was in Tibet and is now caged at best, while refugees from Tibet do their best to keep it alive as they live quietly in India.

................................................................................................

"I am very conscious that the ground of Potala is where my great hero Nagarjun once walked. I feel I have to say a little about this great hero. Nagarjun's life is very interesting. Nagarjun, Hindu turned Buddhist philosopher, magicianalchemist, is the founder of the Middle Path (Madhyamika) of Mahayana Buddhism. Records verify that Nagarjun was born about 800 years after Buddha, probably in southern India and was of a Brahmin ñ priestly - family. From his childhood only one initiative obsessed him - how to make gold out of iron. He was an infant prodigy par excellence. In his childhood he learnt chemistry, physics and the science of metals. Later, in search of gold, he turned to the science of the spirit to invoke inner powers. His ardent search for inner latent powers probably took him to Tibet. He turned towards inner disciplines of Buddhism. In this way he ended up by living in what I would call the Goldmine of Nirvana. He was one of the greatest scholars who lived in the tide of times. Two of his famous books clearly present his most scholarly views: the Mula-Madhyamika Karikas (Fundamentals of the Middle Way) and the Vigrahavyavartani (Treatise on Averting). He summarised that the perfection of wisdom ends with spiritual realisation of the transitory phenomenal world. His teaching has found a great echo amongst the monks living around the Potala. The Potala air is full of this recognition. Nagarjun lived in Lhasa. His footsteps marked on his beloved metal gold are still worshipped here at the Potala Palace. We are guided to these footsteps just by chance. A high-ranking Lama, coming to know that we are Indians, gives us great honour and respect. He welcomes us with dignity and we request him for a group photo with him. After the photo, he takes us to a small chamber where Buddhist spiritual seniors meditate. He takes us to the footsteps of Nagarjun. I bow down to the footsteps reverentially. For me it is a heart touching moment of reverence. This moment of my life is very precious and shall never be forgotten. Potala Palace reminds me of Nagarjun every moment."

Wonder what "Brahmin ñ priestly" is supposed to be! Theres no kniwn meaning of ñ that fits - and "Brahmin" isn't separate from "priestly", in general.

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" ... The Dalai Lama is also very fond of flowers and greenery. His summer palace has a beautiful garden. The garden has weeping willows, junipers and elm trees. There are also fruit trees such as peach, walnut, apple, pear and apricot. As it is springtime, the fruit trees are not in bloom as yet. The entrance of the palace has flower plants of rose, marigold, carnation and gladiolus bearing a few buds at this time of the year. The palace also has a library where ancient manuscripts are preserved. ... "

Text has been and continues to be illustrated with beautiful photographs.

"On 20 April we visit the famous Jokang Monastery, a very important monastery of Tibet. This is our first visit to a monastery in Tibet. It has an unusual, esoteric character. The fidelity to rituals performed by the local Tibetans can be seen in the eyes of the devotees. With postures of absolute dedication and devotion, prayer wheels in hands, the devotees chant mantras and invoke Buddha. From the balcony of the monastery, through the smoke of the incense, one can see the magnificent Potala in full glory as it stands on the red hill. On the roof of the monastery is the eye-catching Wheel of Dharma (right conduct) symbolising Buddhaís historic sermon on Dharma. We take a lot of photographs. We have lunch at an Indian restaurant. Lhasa has modern restaurants, plenty of cyber cafés. We have our supper at the Tibetan restaurant and see the local opera that was called off the previous day. Opera in Lhasa is an unusual experience as singing in Chinese sounds a total different note."

"On 22 April we visit the Sera Monastery, one of the largest monasteries situated in the mountains, five kilometres north of Lhasa. The levitating monks wear long wine-red robes with yellow caps and spin prayer wheels while meditating. At one time more than five thousand monks lived at this monastery. Now there are only a few hundred monks. There is a large meditation hall and monks study, discuss and debate on the scriptures of Buddhism. The western term monk is slightly misleading if used for Buddhist monks as its equivalent in Tibetan trapa means scholar or a student of spirituality. I try and talk to a few monks to understand the rules of the monastery. We also visit the Drepung Monastery, at one time the largest monastery in Tibet and one of the largest in the world. It is an unforgettable experience."

Author doesn't mention if they were seen levitating by the visitors from India.

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"Over the past decade the Chinese government has built a northern highway with crude stones. We are going to drive on this highway. In the early morning we leave Lhasa after a short prayer. The shining sun guards the reflecting blue leisure of the heaven. Our hearts are full of hopes and soaring spirits. As we set off, I feel like a painter in front of an empty canvas. Tibet - beautiful, immense, timeless, unending stretched out before me is filled with mystery, bearing a million different expressions. I feel curious, anxious and full of preen joy. The road before me winds round distant hills. Huge white clouds hang in the transparent blue of the sky. It is a memorable drive through grasslands broken by twisting mountain ridges and valleys dotted with bright sapphire blue salt lakes. At one lake we stop for a while. The lake is very interesting in shape. The water has sapphire blue colour mixed with white foam on top of the waves. There is an atmosphere of magic as the waves heave and break with spray and sparkle in the sunshine. This is an extremely beautiful spectacle for me as I watch and try to meditate. There appears to be some memory of it in my subconscious. In Lhasa, in a dream state, in the middle of a mystical experience, I saw myself at a very beautiful lake. The road on which I strolled to reach the lake was of a strange kind, never seen before. In the dream, I remember, it was deserted. The word lagoon came to my mind. This place is the same as the one in the dream. There is no one around. This lake, I realise, is the lagoon of my dream.

"As we continue our journey, at dusk we pass by another salt lake. I witness a spectacular sunset. The day that is dipping down in a dusk-sky, casts its dominant sapphire reflections on the water. The sinking daylight laces the arriving eve with pure gold. It appears as if the celestial afflatus is dropping with a heavenly hue enriching our earth. The twilight that is slowly dying wants to live on and puts up a display of superior splendour. It is a sky in its glorious rendezvous with the horizon. I become mute.

"After witnessing this unusually picturesque landscape, we arrive at Gyantse in the evening hours. We stay at a Chinese hotel. At Gyantse there is an Anti British Imperialists Museum, which we visit the next morning. It is a very interesting account of the British invasion of 1904 under the leadership of General Francis Younghusband. The Tibetans could not defeat this invasion. It is fascinating to note how the present rulers manipulate history. The British are portrayed as demons attempting to win an inalienable part of Tibet. Old photographs are displayed in one room to support their side of the history. The most significant story of Younghusband is that, on the eve of his departure from Lhasa, the general experienced a wave of spiritual peace descending over him, which changed his life completely, and he became a vociferous voice of religion at the World Congress of Faiths in 1936. This was the same platform from which Swami Vivekananda also spoke much earlier in September 1893."

Not publicised, this part, usually!

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"It is 24 April. The night's rest does me good. I am ready for a drive to Shigatse, the second largest town in Tibet. Today we are to visit Tashilumpu Monastery. This is the seat of Panchan Lama, who is 17 years young. He has now taken refuge in India. In the monastery, a copper statue of grand Buddha that is 37 metres tall is highly impressive. The statue contains nearly three hundred kilos of gold. Pearls and precious stones are abundantly used in the decoration of the statue. Buddha lives here - this feeling is omnipresent. Hence Vinodbhai and I go around this mega Buddha statue. Another statue of Buddha with tears in His eyes (for the damage done in the name of the Cultural Revolution) is significant. The military invaded the temple and murdered its monks. Our guide explains to me that, since then, the statue of Buddha is constantly in lament. The mind refuses to accept the tears clearly seen on the face of Buddha."

"Today is 25 April and we drive on to Lhatse on the Northern Highway. The drive is long and I am not well. The landscape is beautiful but I keep dozing off. After a long drive of about two hundred twenty kilometres we camp for the first time. Dorje and his assistants pitch our tents. We tent in the middle of a wide plateau surrounded by distant hills. A calm immensity of spirit occupies the space. Our Tibetan guide Jigme tells me that in winter this plateau is extraordinarily cold, with deadly blizzards and volatile snowstorms. Temperatures can drop 30 degrees in a single day as unexpected and ferocious winds usher in powerful and horrible hailstorms. We realise that our tents are old fashioned. Living in an ëAí shaped tent is rather difficult. In a two metre by two metre tent there is very little place for two persons to move around. The tent is only one and a half metres high at the apex and very uncomfortable. Vinodbhai is tall and he finds it very difficult to stand erect or dress in the tent. We wish that our travel agent had provided us with better tents that are inverted ëUí shaped and more comfortable. After all we have paid so much to the travel agent. I have fever and I find it difficult to sleep. The night is long, cold, windy and most difficult. It snows and it is freezing in the night.

"The thermometer is showing -70C. With the cold winds the wind chill has an effect of -170C. While lying down I inevitably doze off with my arm touching the tent. My arm is frozen and numb next morning. The tent is leaking. What bad luck I have! We are approximately 5000 metres high. If you look at the map we are north of Mount Everest. I feel progressively worse. Vinodbhai who is a pharmacist by profession, gives me antibiotics.

................................................................................................

"Before dusk, we camp at a very remote place between the hills well away from Sangsang. A dry and arid landscape is of forbidding grandeur. The wind-stirred barren land winks in the sun. It is a space of cold and delicate air and an infinite horizon is stretched before us. It seems like a sanctuary of silent loneliness, a highland of solitude in meditation. The evening is bright, with a blue sky, reddish-orange clouds and winds with freezing temperatures blow gently. The plateau is surrounded by small hills and there are neither trees nor shrubs. There are no birds or animals to be seen in the vicinity. The desolate area appears uninhabited or only sparsely populated. We meet no nomads. We are at a height of about 5000 metres. We have a long walk on a rocky and dry valley, a basin happy and hushed in the embrace of dusk. We wonder at its wilderness by a moon getting ready to kindle the stars in the sky's infinitude. It is, as if a dark beautiful woman with an orange vermilion moon on her forehead is getting ready to wear a sari studded with Swarovsky sparkling crystals. I feel as if nature is locking me in a forbidden lover's embrace while silence is steadily creeping around to watch."

" ...It begins to cool further before it starts getting dark. Winds rage ruthlessly and there is nothing to break their accelerating power. Then comes the enveloping darkness, not at all the sort you see at dusk. Something similar to a blue haze that is desperate to swallow the daylight. It is not the black of the night but the dimmest of light that prevails. I retire. I am not well and my appetite is gone. I have lost the sense of taste. Breathing is getting more difficult. Meditating is also a hard effort. I am unable to sleep. Peeping out of my tent in the sky that has turned darker, I see a shooting star. My mother had once told me when I was young that if one were able to make an instant wish while the shooting star is still visible, oneís wish would be fulfilled. I do not believe in such superstitions. Still I spontaneously wish for the vision of Shiva. This sudden wish surprises me. It is evident that this must have been dominating my subconscious all the while.

................................................................................................

"On 27 April, we drive towards Sangsang. The drive is long and picturesque while it cuts through lovely hills. We have a short lunch break at Rag. We continue driving, covering more than 200 kilometres on the stony remote road. We decide to pitch at Gayser hot springs vicinity. The sulphur hot springs are listed in the World Heritage List and the area is a centre of research in energy development. A group of Chinese scientists live here to study the springs that spurt as high as 30 metres. They watch and experiment with the nature. It is an excellent site to take photos, though springs offer no possibility to take a sulphur bath, as the water is not tapped and is dangerous to approach it. The springs are kept natural, wild and are not meant to attract tourists as yet. Although the night of the 27th is warmer, the discomfort of living in the tent is rapidly increasing.

"On the morning of 28 April, we pass by Lake Daggyai that is not far from the Gayser hot springs. It is a most unusual site to photograph. The shores have contours of ice in the formation of waves. The effect is that of a sculpture on display whose outstanding figures are on frozen water. At the centre of the lake the water reflects a deep blue never seen before in my life. ... "

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"On 1 May, past midnight, we arrive at a city called Ali also known as Shiquane. ... "

"The next day I knock at the door of our hotelkeeperís room to enquire about the lights. I am surprised to see that on the walls of her room are pinned posters of Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Shah Rukh Khan, Lata Mangeshkar and other celebrities of the Bollywood film industry. Bollywood has latently penetrated deeply into this culture. I feel happy to see that again in modern times, the Indian influence is creeping as a dominating feature."

We were surprised in Switzerland, more than once. Looking gorgeous a vegetarian lunch at Jungfraujoch, we expected a pasta - and found hotel Bollywood, posters and all. Then there was the lift operator to Titlis who greeted us in Hindi!

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" ... A Chinese policewoman escorts us through the town which is a very important military strategic point for the Chinese occupation of Tibet. From here the Ladakh - Tibet borders are constantly guarded and a lot of military movement is seen. It is also a crossroads of business. From time immemorial many great personalities have visited this place as it is situated at the bank of the river Indus. There is a long shopping avenue with hills on both the ends. One of the hills is a military base camp and hence it is forbidden to climb. We climb the second hill and view the vast stretching plain between Tibet and Ladakh, India. A busy road to Aksai Chin lying amidst the background of the Himachal Pradesh peaks, is a sight that can be best described as a photographer's paradise. Under the sky's blue laugh and amid the high silent heads of hills we stand on a peak in the grandeur and beauty of a holy land. On the other side, we see the river Indus flowing by the side of the hill as if a silver ribbon is unwinding.

"The hill is a showcase of Tibetan culture. Lovely shining stones bear writings of holy texts. The Tibetan script is derived from Devanagari. It clearly shows the Indian influence on the local culture. Memory stones of the departed family members, ... Native Tibetan hawkers display and sell excellent statues of Buddha, handmade silver jewellery, small knives and other curios on the footpaths. One can bargain with them and even without bargaining the prices are very reasonable. I buy a nice statue of Buddha that I shall put in my drawing room in Vienna."

" ... Ali is a strategic point of occupation since China sent troops in October 1950. Due to new immigration policies that have followed, Buddhists are losing their philosophical core to petty business ventures. It leaves an impression of a city in conflict despite its lovely geographical position in the western mountains of Tibet. For me, Ali in its present stage of development is disillusioning and a dreadful wound in the holy heart of torn Tibet.

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" ... We drive in a southeast direction to Gartok. Gartok was once a frequently visited town on the commercial route towards Trethapuri (Indians confidently call it Tirthapuri). Indians entering Tibet from the Indian side inevitably made a halt at Gartok. This is not true anymore. Since the Chinese occupation of Tibet this route is deserted and hence Gartok has lost its flair and importance. Apparently, Adi Sankracharya made a long journey to this part of the world to defend Hinduism against the then popular Buddhism. History is a witness that Buddhism was the greatest philosophical impetus that spread in the time. Unlike Islam and Christianity, it conquered the Eastern World without a sword. May be, it would have conquered the whole world, had the present modes of transportation and communication been available. A dozen high-ranking Christians, Hindus and other missionaries came to Tibet to convert the population to their faith. Their closer association with Buddhism made them turn into Buddhists."

" ... Sankracharya's memories are still present at Trethapuri. We arrive there in the early hours of the evening. Our camp, including our kitchen and dining tent, four small sleeping tents and the remote WC tent are tucked in the midst of hills besides a glacial stream. This stream is none other than the River Sutlej. At this stage the Sutlej is just a small stream. My tent is tucked just a metre away from the bank of the river. It is indeed a lovely place to rest. Pale waters flow by like radiant threads of pearls shimmering in the golden shine of the evening sun. In every ripple and eddy of this lovely stream we feel the presence of the great Creator. It soothes the mind to hear the flowing water. For me it emanates divine music."

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" ... I wish I were able to participate in such a fiesta unfolding within view of the holy Thuling monastery. I am sure no spectacle can be more sublime, serene and subtle. The Thuling monastery is a place of historical significance for Tantric Buddhism and is impressive with its powerful pellucid atmosphere. This is simply by virtue of its historical and tantric past practices that are subdued at present. Now it appears deserted.

"In the evening, in the main altar of the monastery I arrange a puja for my late father to be performed by the head of the monastery in the true Tibetan tradition. He agrees to perform the puja and awaits no rewards. After he finished his puja, listening to my inner voice Vinodbhai and myself perform a Hindu puja. We sing an aarti1. On completion I give the monk a Dakshina (gift in money). ... "

Photographs 11 and 12 at this point, but unfortunately 11 with wide view of plateau framing Kailash is published rotated through a 90° angle.

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"The atmosphere is spiritual. Many great Buddhist saints lived or came to this monastery and meditated. The presence of Buddha is constant here. The story of Bhramasambhava killing a demon with his tantric power and turning it to stone is dominating in the monastery. There are two uncut stones lying near the entrance. One large orange colour stone has the contour of an angel in action, killing a demon with a trident. The other stone, lying flat on the floor, appears to be the slain ogre. It is a light coloured stone with red splashes as if the demon is bleeding.

"It is 3 May. A secret splendour is revealed to our sight. For the first time we see Kailash, in its viraat swarupóan all prevailing majesty, a king of kings before us. We see it from afar. A mountain, like the face of a God, stands straight and stationary under the opulent beauty of a blue sky. A marvellous sun looks down from a delightful heaven giving a divine smile to Kailash in a world of total perfection where earth meets paradise. A calm, serene and powerful God of heavenly height stands right in front of me in a pose of ecstasy immutable. A sudden instant intimacy born within me draws me nearer to Kailash. I am utterly speechless, captured by its beauty. Looking at Kailash, that very instant I realise that I love Kailash more than I ever imagined. The encounter with Kailash is the most blissful event of my life. Kailash prompts love at first sight. Tears of joy wet my eyes. It stirs my soul. Later in the night, while the world is asleep, this love of my soul spills on to paper in the form of a few lines that come to me out of nowhere. I note them down in my diary. Now, when I type them on my keyboard, with minor alterations and an altered enjambment, I realise these lines make a poem a complete sonnet.

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"Kailash

"Suddenly, through opulent light, Kailash is seen,

"A million emotions capture my mind.

"Bare Shiva wearing a snow-white pelerine,

"In His serene beauty He turns my mind blind.

"Though my speech is captive, my voice no tone,

"I want to sing His song; Him I want to adore.

"I want my song to reach from shore to shore.

"Without His song, bliss of Love won't be won.

"As a devotee I want to sing of His splendid hush

"Of His power in my spirit, deep in deep,

"Of His abode from where four holy rivers3 rush

"Giving glorious life to us, Him no sleep.

"With my mortal speech still, how can I phrase

"The heavenly grandeur of His gloriuous face?"

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"Kailash is a mystical mountain indeed, in shape and surroundings. It reveals in itself the shrouded Divinity's doors. It is God's perfect creation, august and calm in outlook. It is as if He sculptured Himself without flaw. No hill or mountain can come near to His shape. No territorial turmoil can shake His calm. His peace is visible on His face. He is so mighty that no conquerorís fervour can match His strength. No capturing eyes can equal His replying eyes. Kailash is a majestic mountain in its anchorite solitude.

"It appears (only appears) like a huge meteor that descended from heaven and has settled here since time immemorial. ... "

" ... A massive geographical tumult happened keeping Kailash solitary. The supporters of this theory have no reasons for the movement of the Indian plateau. May be, it was due to the massive fall of a meteor. I believe that falling of a massive meteor may even create a range of mountains on the rear side as a seesaw effect. ... "

Well, Himaalaya rising from the ocean was a part of Samudra Manthan legend that included Shiva intaking the poison coming out of churning of ocean, and if that can be explained via meteor theory, we can see how to find rest of the legend there. But it seems unlikely. Samudra Manthan does not have Shiva descend from heavens.

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" ... At some point, I am bound to ask them for forgiveness for my liberal thinking. I do it. I do not care to continue this controversy. This is contrary to my uncompromising nature. My life is a long lesson in humility. It is hard but fruitful to learn that the real fruits of humility are love and peace. I am on a pilgrimage. There is no true pilgrimage without love and peace. My journey to Tibet would prove futile if I participated in the slightest conflict. The true felicity of life is to be free from perturbations and aggression. To have harmony and hold onto my pilgrimís approach, I apologise to each one in the group. As I am the youngest in the group, this is considered a gesture of good social upbringing.

"Still, I strongly feel that my premise is right. Kailash really appears like a meteor. One may charge me for want of sense and still I would loudly say that the least approach to a false pretence is not amongst my sins. Our group does not keep the idea open for discussion since it is l'ídée nouvelle. Though I live in a fantasy world, my thinking is now based on reasons that I think are relevant factors.

Others have opined that it's too perfect a pyramid to be natural. Then again, perhaps pyramids were imitations thereof?

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Now that's silly, after his description of having been overcome at the sight, and writing poems which he's included here.

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Interesting details about Montserrat et al, but Kailash? Unlikely.

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"We photograph Kailash a thousand times from Chiu Gompa, the monastery. This monastery is situated in a very remote area with only a few monks living there. It has a tantric appeal. The constellation of Kailash, Mount Gurla Mandhata (7728 metres), named after a rishi who did tapasya here, and holy Mansarovar is fascinating. This triangle brings a feeling of some mystic magnetic field, which latently flows, under the ground. To learn the usage of this magnetic field one has to sit at a particular angle and invoke some centres of the body by rubbing them. In this way one summons and invokes the Gods residing in one's own body with the help of a magnetic muscle that is in the atmosphere. This leads to an unusual aid in the practice of meditation. This is the secret knowledge that is not at the disposal of everyone. It requires years of assimilation of yogic powers to enable the practice of this yoga. The Chiu Gompa monastery probably has or had this knowledge.

"With this feeling, I slowly climb up the hill leading to the monastery. I am alone. An infinite ocean of silence accompanies me. I put away my Nikon to avoid viewing my surroundings through a lens. I want to see nature with my naked eyes. The road is completely deserted. Suddenly it dwindles into a narrow path. I begin to feel that very few pilgrims have come this way. There is no sound to break the brooding hush. Grand Kailash is facing me directly and I feel the silent nearness of God. After some hesitation and with a great sense of awe, I unpack my camera and try to record some images of Kailash.

"The monastery stands high on a hill between two lakes. Mansarovar (Brahmaís Lake) and Rakshas Tal (Ravanaís Lake). The atmosphere is very mystical here. Its location itself is of great interest for students of esoteric studies. In the narrow passage between these two lakes is a gold mine. The Chinese discovered it and it is now a regular source of gold. It is no secret that Tibet is exceptionally rich in minerals, metals and semi-precious stones. The Chinese are exploiting this natural richness of Tibet. The world has also suddenly discovered Tibet. Tibet is a gold mine as a tourist attraction. They are now concentrating on preserving Tibetan culture to earn money from tourism. Enough monasteries have been destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. According to the Hollywood super film Seven Years in Tibet, starring Brad Pitt as Harrar, six thousand monasteries were uprooted. Nearly one million Tibetans lost their lives during the revolution. A lot of children died too. Amongst these children, how many infants with the future realization of Buddha, Nagarjun, Einstein, Beethoven and Krishnaprem have departed, while the world watched, no one can verify today. Forever, mankind is poorer for this loss. Who can assess the extent of knowledge that was lost in the six thousand monasteries?"

Here photograph 16 illustrates text.

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"It is a wonder that the Chiu Gompa is one monastery that has survived the upheaval and is now maintained. From this monastery you can see Kailash on one side and the banks of the Mansarovar and Rakshas Tal on the other side. Rakshas Tal is a lake that Hindu mythology considers as the seat of demons (antithesis). It is a little lower than Mansarovar and darker in colour. No life exists in the Rakshas Tal while Mansarovar has an exceptionally large range of aquatic life. Strange, but true, that in the vicinity of this monastery, Kailash as witness, between the Mansarovar and Rakshas Tal, more on the side of Mansarovar, Morari Bapu narrated his saga of devotion, the Ram katha. This incident has such a symbolic significance. Ramcharitmanas (literally translated, the study of the character of Rama) is a saga of Rama, Divine Incarnation of Vishnu on one side and the demonic destructive and still enlightened power of Ravana on the other side. Rama is God personified and Ravana is the fallen angel as his character is wicked even though he has attained enlightenment and boon of immortality from Brahma on the shores of Rakshas Tal.

"Today is 4 May. We are at Darchan. The morning greets us with a blue smiling sky. We begin the parikrama (circling) of Kailash in the early hours. After a short joint prayer with Jagdishbhai as our pilot, we commence the march. Vinodbhai and myself begin the parikrama with a worshipful gesture, prayer wheels in our hands and turning them in a clockwise motion, as the Buddhist pilgrims do. I constantly chant the maha (the great) mantra of the Hindus, Om Namah Shivaya (concentrating on you, O Lord of creation, I bow down to you). We have a Gurkha who carries our cameras and extras. This leaves us to concentrate on meditation. The sky is a sapphire stretch of vastness and the mighty holy Kailash is in full glory. We look at the west face of Kailash so close to us. We cannot have enough of this view ... Sounds of flowing water surround Kailash."

Several photographs but all rotated at 90° angle. Difficult to see.

"Kailash is the source of four mighty rivers ñ Karnali, Brahmaputra, Indus and Sutlej. Karnali springs from the north face of Kailash. A stream of Karnali eventually joins many other streams and is the source of the holy Ganges at Gaumukh that is 13 miles southwest from Gangotri. Hence mythology accounts that Ganges spurts from the matted hair on the head of Shiva. The Karnali stream of water that flows from Kailash into Ganges makes the Ganges holy."

People seem not to think about exactly what and where is the source of the tremendous flow of Bhagierathie at Gaumukh, or the Vasudhaaraa Falls that become the serene tremendous Alakananda, two out of three major origins of Gangaa. Perhaps they all come from Manasarovar, an underground flow if not traceable on ground.

................................................................................................

"I continually look and wonder about Kailash during the three-hour walk from Darchan to Chiku (Choku) Gompa monastery. We camp there. The more I see the more I begin to wonder if this is an extraterrestrial meteor. In the evening it turns really windy and cold. The cold hits us hard as soon as the sun starts setting. A pretentious silence wraps the regal day. I am stunned by the vision of a golden sunset, the sun spraying a rangoli5 of colours from the west on Kailash in front of us. The sky is a painterís full canvas of different shades of pink, purple, yellow and gold. It looks so artificial, as if God has cast a spell of maya, an illusion specifically made-up to attract pilgrims. Then the evening arrives like a glittering bronze pushing away the day that is sinking in the burning furnace of gold. Everyone else is tired and shows signs of emotional fatigue, as the day stretches out with overwhelming beautiful images. I take a photo of Kailash. I am full of enthusiasm even though my mind remains replete with impressions."

A lovely photograph here. 20, illustrates Kailash against stars at night, bright white against a sapphire blue sky.

................................................................................................

Again, there's another string of symbols and letters that looks gibberish, before the mantra.

Nathwani recalled, or recited, one after another -

"om tat saviturvaran rupam jyotih parasya dheemahi, yannah satyena deepayet.

"SRI AUROBINDO"

"antakale cha mameva smaranmuktva kalevaram,

"Yah prayati sa madbhavam yati nastyatra samshayah."

"(BHAGAVAD GITA 8/5)"

"Then I recite silently my favourite lines from Sri Aurobindoís Savitri:

"I smite the Titan who bestrides the world

"And slay the ogre in his blood-stained den.

"I am Durga, Goddess of the proud and strong.

"And Lakshmi, the queen of the fair and fortunate.

"(SRI AUROBINDO ñ Savitri, Book 7/4)"

................................................................................................

"I open my eyes. I see Vinodbhai in the tent. He is sound asleep. My first feeling is one of boundless happiness. No one can imagine how joyful I am to see him, and to see myself alive. At this stage I decide to remain silent about this dream. I consider the whole incident as an esoteric experience. I realize there is nothing that belongs to us permanently. If my health is now restored, it is restored only to express the well of my sentient being. My urge to strive for happiness is only temporary; for temporary remains the material happiness. Only soul or Atma is Always.

"I do not consider this traumatic experience of any substance. I note it down in my diary, thinking that at a later stage I may narrate it only to my family and friends. The strange thing about this dream is that I had a very similar dream in Vienna years before, though with a different set of players. What it signifies, I have not the faintest idea. ... When I peep out of the tent it is dawn. The sky is classic glittery grey as if it is a projection of a Hollywood epic film. It has snowed. ... "

................................................................................................

"In the dusk of the Himalayan world, we camp at the foot of the Diraphuk monastery. We get up to see that it has snowed heavily. Dolma La (Drollma La) pass above us is dangerous to traverse. The chances of continuing parikrama are getting slimmer. It is slippery and the likelihood of an accident cannot be ruled out. We really consider getting a herd of yaks to help us clear the snow to let us complete the parikrama. We have come so far and we want to continue. We want to see the North face of Kailash, which gives us excellent opportunities to take beautiful photos of the holy mountain, as we are closest. We stay one more night in the camp.

"In the evening we meet the Lama of the Diraphuk Gompa Monastery. He is a burly young man, round and well fed. We have a joint meditation with him. His forehead is full of light. His face is a beautiful mirror of antique joy. His chanting of the rhythmic mystic words of Buddhism in his metallic voice carries me far in the meditation. Before I close my eyes for meditation I notice that Mrinalini, Jagdishbhai and Vinodbhai are in deep meditation. Kunjbhai and Hemantbhai are busy photographing. Kunjbhai, as I have noticed till now, is a very keen photographer and he strives to be perfect. Hemantbhai is a person with few words. He speaks only when it is necessary. He is a photographer of distinction and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Photographers. The occasion offers a perfect opportunity to register images. At one point Hemantbhai leaves his camera and is fully submerged in the meditative and pellucid atmosphere. I think he is meditating with open eyes. His power of concentration is immense and has the strength of a very developed soul. It is a feeling of a mind looking at a higher mind, a light beaming straight at the divine light. This feeling I get as I look closely at him.

"The ambience of the Lama is very pleasant. His Lamasery is exactly facing Kailash. The native Tibetans who are doing cora come to rest here. He gives them shelter, food and tea around the clock. These pilgrims are usually on the cora for many days. The posture and ritual of cora is very strenuous. Standing erect, folding your hands stretching towards high heaven as if praying for the grace from above, then bringing the folded hands to the heart as if enclosing His blessings in the heart, then lowering the folded hands to the limbs as if transferring the divine strength to the body, they lie down flat on the floor in total surrender to God. Step forward to the place where stretched hands touch the floor and then the rituals start again."

" ... The body is only its envelope. Precisely, these pilgrims are in search of that same awareness. They perform these very arduous postures and rituals to obtain a heightened awareness of that reality."

" ... And this is done in all weather conditions, even stretching oneís body flat in the snow. We met, saw and talked to many pilgrims doing cora with such vigorous postures. Absolute devotion and firm conviction in Kailash can only be the source of such arduous rituals."

................................................................................................

"Today is 8 May. It is bright and Kailash is glory galore in the embrace of golden light and its wilderness a wonder to pilgrims. We are back at Darchan guesthouse. I meet Brahmachari Sadhu Rajendra. He is youthful and has come from India without any support, visa or even proper shoes and clothing. A Lama has given him some trousers. On his left hand he has only one glove that somebody gave him. He has thin-soled summer canvas shoes full of holes on the soles. He is definitely inadequately clothed for the cold company of the Lord. He does his pilgrimage around Kailash in his canvas shoes. In a cool amusing gag I call his shoes holy and he smiles. His face reflects genuine joie de vivre. He is a carefree happy person and that is why joy spouts out from his soul like natural spring water. His heart is all love and warmth for Kailash. He lives with his firm fervour and the power derived from it that Shiva lives on top of Kailash and he is meeting Him everyday. He has no money and no way to affirm what or where he shall eat his next meal. He is happy when we invite him and he eats well. Otherwise he skips a meal or two everyday. His devotion to Shiva is unflinching. He meditates long hours. His forehead has a dent at the same place where Indian ladies do their chandla (tika). I feel his third eye will open soon. I like him as I feel he is very sincere."

................................................................................................

" ... All my fantasy fails to answer me. While I am searching for an answer, four powerful closing lines of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri from Divina Commedia ñ Paradiso flash before me.

"Allí alta fantasia qui mancò possa;

"Ma già volgeva il mio disio e 'l velle,

"Si come ruota chíigualmente è mossa

"Líamor che muove il sole e líaltre stelle. "

"The vigour failed the towering fantasy;

"Yet, like a wheel whose speed no tremble mars,

"Desire rushed on, its spur unceasingly

"The Love that moves the sun and the other stars.

"(Divine Comedy- Paradise) (Translation: Amal Kiran)"

................................................................................................

"It is so perfect, pure and peaceful here. Cool winds link the earth and heaven and blow across the languor of the holy soil permitting the towering brilliant light to fall on me. A heavenly harmony is at home and the atmosphere is so chaste. A blue seal of the burnished sky adds elegance to the atmosphere. All nature is marvellous without fault. I am fully submerged in the impact of Kailash. I am totally in tune with nature. I feel it is one rare moment of my life when I am responsive to my inner lamp. I strongly get a deep feeling that my psyche wants to commune with my inner self. I try to meditate deep inside me just to hear my own loud breathing. The thumb-like flame that resides inside my chest, in the cave of the heart, is unreachable despite my devoted efforts. I hope that the powerful magnetic field of the pilgrim soil where I stand works as a turbo power to my ardent efforts to reach inside me. I am determined to rise above rationality and absorb the pilgrimage in full faith. I do not go far in meditation except to quiet myself. I feel very disappointed for a moment. I have been trying to pray and meditate for years, since my childhood and still I have not reached far. I feel that I am too opaque to the inward ray of light. ... "

A lovely photograph of Manasarovar, 23, again rotated by 90° and thus difficult to view. Another wonderful one of Kailash, 24, same rotation.

" ... Facing Kailash, behind me is the mount Gurla Mandhata (7,728 metres). Further to the west and south, beyond the border, over the mountains on the Indian side, next to the side of the holy city of Badrinath, is the famous Valley of Flowers. Still further southwards, on the same longitude as Kailash, is the holy city of Allahabad or Prayag. Now, I understand why Prayag is considered a holy city. The Ganges water on reaching Prayag, again attains the same longitude as Kailash as if to salute its source. The pilgrims at Prayag are aligned exactly with Shiva at his abode on top of Kailash.

"I hear that on the full moon, the night emanates a silver, gold and mauve glow that reflects from the snow above into the clear waters of Mansarovar. It mirrors like drops of golden fire on a silver page. The description of the beauty of the night bathing and reflecting on Mansarovar in a fascinating combination of colours makes its glory thrilling. For me it is too icy to come and watch in the night. It is also not a full moon night now. The lake has a historic existence of millions of aeon years but it is so tranquil and turquoise at this moment that it is almost dumb in its environment. I wonder if in its silent lucidities is hidden any inner world."

................................................................................................

"Suddenly peace pauses. Something in the impassive sky stirs and a splendid spectacle disturbs the divine hush. There occurs a movement of the May blizzard somewhere distant but still so near. It sounds like a sudden messenger from the all-seeing tops that traverse the soundless corridors of my mind. A wandering arm of thunderbolt appears to strike. An ecstasy tears the sky with a surprise lightening, appearing and disappearing within seconds as if the sky was a momentary stage for a celestial melodrama. It is an elemental display of spiritual splendour, suddenly rising and ripping the gauze of sky asunder. The ether is full of motion and the magical air carries its rhythmic sense of latent things from the hidden peaks of the heights of the mighty Kailash. Music floats around us transcending mortal speech as if from a golden height of All-Bliss. Then, a silent spirit pervades. The still space is once again a land of self-centering tranquillity. The sun emerges, overpowering all as if it is close by, whilst still remaining non-measuring. There is a joy of light, a joy of sight and a rapture of thrilling Himalayan Holy World.

"All my words are futile to describe the celestial beauty descended on Earth. ... experiences cannot be transferred to other people. One has to live them for oneself. ... "

................................................................................................

" ... One thing is sure. Once it is admitted that Being is better, it is difficult to stop short of God. You are bound to feel His presence everywhere. If we admit that Nirvana is better, then the discussion ceases to be. This is the big rub. Jigme misses the argument. He affirms without reasoning that Nirvana is the ultimate state of existence. It is too much for me. I end the discussion by letting him have his say remembering the words of Shakespeare: It is more matter for a May morning (Twelfth Night).

"I wish Jagdishbhai were also involved in the discussion. He is a gifted philosopher. He supports his arguments with quotations from the Upanishads. His knowledge of Sanskrit bewitches me. To be honest, I am so envious because I know no Sanskrit except the Devanagari script that is common with Hindi. Just as the knowledge of old Greek and modern German are extremely necessary for the study of Western Philosophy, there can be no Eastern philosophy without Sanskrit. Jagdishbhai reads Sanskrit and interprets the verses of the old scriptures. Being a minor philosopher, he is capable of lecturing on Indian philosophy. ... He affirms that Indian philosophy is a way of living a concrete, complete life contrary to Western philosophy that is more of intellectual gymnastics. Western philosophy has in modern times indeed turned to minute details of words, their interpretations and language skills and can be rightfully called academic exercises. Still, Western philosophers influence me. Descartes and his theory of Cogito Ergo Sum fascinate me. On the Indian side I am attracted towards the theory of duality ñ Nar and Narayani prevailing in the entire universe. Duality is a premise that says that the universe consists of atoms with positive and negative charges, the yin and yang of Chinese philosophy or the principle of Purusha and Prakriti. This is also the theory of Patanjali who was a great aficionado of Nagarjun. Sri Aurobindo has narrated this tenet of duality so well in his magnum opus, Savitri.

"He makes the hours pivot around her will,

"Makes all reflect her whims; all is their play

"This whole wide world is only he and she.

"(SRI AUROBINDO ñ Savitri Book, 1:4)"

"I have no way of reading Patanjali in the original Sanskrit except in English, German, French, Hindi or Gujarati translations. I wish I had also learnt Sanskrit. Jagdishbhai and myself stand on the opposite banks of the same Reality. We have together travelled a long way to realize the Ultimate Truth, That which is Immutable."

................................................................................................

Photograph 25 illustrates next bit.

................................................................................................

"I try to climb the white marble stairs. I want to reach Shiva in front of the temple. I hear a voice asking me repeatedly, do you know yourself ? I ask myself, do I know myself ? I am confused. I donít know myself. Hence, I am unable to form a candid reply. One complaint I have against myself is that, at such moments I am always dumbfounded and unable to express myself in words. At this moment I wish I had confidently said, yes, I know who I am. But alas, words fail me more than ever. Being in a state of perplexity, not knowing the answer, I come down to myself, in my body seated in the lighted cave. I feel my body is very heavy. My spirit is light with innate joy.

................................................................................................

"In this mode I walk further to the foot of Everest. Somehow even being so near to Everest, I now feel very detached from it. I feel disinterested. At the camp at the foot of Everest, the Spanish, the Korean and the Japanese have set out to climb the Everest peak. Itís a rat race as to who is going to conquer the peak first this season. I am not in the race. Thank God. I feel as if I am living in Eternity. I am saturated with a million impressions of travel. This is the last phase of our pilgrimage.

................................................................................................

"From my childhood days the mystery of yetis has thrilled me. I express a desire to meet a yeti. ... "

The word "Yati" in Sanskrit has a very different meaning, of someone who's essentially in a spiritual quest has intentionally suffered great deal. It's easy enough to premise that, as usual, Europe borrowed a word from Sanskrit and used it in a completely different, almost false, sense - as with Swastika or Aarya - until one reads Colin Wilson clarify that it's a word in Central Asian languages, but there they use Alma instead of yeti for the giant race or species thst humans have encountered often enough to remain an elusive mystery.

" ... There is such a big controversy regarding the existence of yetis. A Tibetan (not a part of our team) tells me a story that I find fascinating. He tells me that yetis exist on the higher regions of the Sagarmath (Everest). In the ancient days (time unknown) there was a big colony of them. Once during an organised feast they drank a lot of chiang (Tibetan alcohol provided by men at the foot of the mountain) and in intoxication battled with pointed weapons. The feast ended with the death of all the yetis. Only one yeti family, which decided not to take part in the festival but watch it from a distance, survived. The family moved to the higher and distant regions of the mountains to avoid men whom they did not trust. They still live in a very close group and over time how big the family has grown cannot be estimated. Their domain is Everest and they know every centimetre of Everest. They hide from all men. This story appeals to me.

................................................................................................

"In contrast to this saga, Harishbhai and Dorje, our Nepalese companion, tell me that yetis do not exist. These bristly savage snowmen, they say, are a myth. I have always wondered how a myth originates without any foundation. How can it be sustained for so long? I also donít know why Reinhold Messner, the famous Tyrolean mountaineer, said that yetis are a reality and he was face to face with a yeti. He made this bold disclosure at a press conference. The cultivated worlds pooh-poohed at him, making him sound like a nincompoop. In Reinholdís German book Legende Und Wirklichkeit10 (publishers Fischer Verlag), I read with much curiosity that he allocates a whole chapter to his meeting with a Yeti. He titles it, Wie ich zum Yeti kam (how I came to a Yeti). I find his treatise fascinating. I believe in people, in what they say and their feelings and their faith. I believe in the Tibetan who narrated the story of the yetiís existence and in Reinhold who knew what he was talking about. To me these people are not insane.

"A documentary film made by The National Geographic of the US entitled Yeti: Hunt for the Wild Man, is a gripping story of a team of zoologists and scientists trying to find a trace of yeti in the Himalayas. The team interviews several people in Bhutan who swear that they had a direct encounter with a yeti. One woman goes so far as to say that she lived with a yeti for three years. A royal subject of Bhutan's monarchy displays to the team, a yeti skeleton that has been preserved in their museum.

................................................................................................

"Wishing to meet a yeti in real life, the scientists trace and follow the still wet footprints of a yeti in the high mountains with the help of the native folk. At one moment, when they feel that they are very close to their seek, all signs of the yeti vanish in thin air. The mountain folk remark that the creature has a spiritual power to disintegrate into thin air. It is a thought provoking remark.

Nevertheless, the evidence that yetis exist has moved a step forward on the affirmative side. For a moment, I speculate if these are perhaps the spiritual men who have attained realisation and have withdrawn from this material world during this Iron Age? May be they are. Our scriptures have talked of great and realised souls that have moved to the higher regions of Himalayas and will return to civilisation with the change of the Age. If these hairy beings have the power to disintegrate into thin air at will, I say to myself, they must surely be far more evolved than what we are at present. We have not learnt to do that as yet. Still, at this stage I don't know the truth about the yetiís existence at first hand. This mystery will probably remain hidden in my lifetime."

Nathwani hasn't come across account of US forces having killed one in mountainous region south of Kandahar, after he'd killed several of them, and transported his body back to US

Colin Wilson writes extensively about several such encounters, not necessarily involving humans endangered, between what's called Bigfoot in Northwest US and Canada, and other names in Central Asia, Siberia, et al. "

................................................................................................

"I give a close and long look at Everest during the last hour at the base camp. I wonder how many more mysteries are still enveloped in this majestic mountain. The last days at Everest base camp are very picturesque."

Author describes night spent at Zhangmu instead of Nylam.

"Next morning we walk to the border. The kitchen's personnel involve themselves in the customs inspection formalities. It is thrilling to walk between two different nations. It is a long walk. We walk over the Friendship Bridge in the lush green no man's land. A lurking slanting sun casts long shadows of everything standing high in the mountainous world. Suddenly all nature is a festival of spring. It is clothed in fresh green. Branches with vibrant green leaves that tower above, nestling chirping birds that trumpet a song in chorus attract our attention. Streams of water are falling loudly on both sides of the valley. The trees are adorned with flowers. The roads are lined with fragrant blooms. It is a pleasure to see and feel a red rose in full bloom. It is now an embodiment of divine love. The entire world is filled with His embrace for all is joy, colours, blooms, ardent rays and perfumed breeze. It reminds me of a poem by Harindra Nath Chattopadhyay,11 a poet of great calibre, who wrote with a spontaneous ease, power and beauty, not in his native tongue Bengali, but in his cultivated language, English.

"The Spring-hues deepen into human Bliss!

"The heart of God and man in scent are blended...

"The sky meets earth and heaven in one transparent kiss...

"(from the collection of poems, The Feast of Youth)"

Author introduces the poet and thespian.

"11. The poet is the younger brother of the Indian poetess, Sarojini Naidu. Still as a child, I remember him visiting my father in Jinja, Uganda and spending a day at our home. Later on, he turned towards acting and worked in many Hindi movies made by his friend, Bollywood personality, producer and director Hrishikesh Mukerjee."

And many others, including - Gurudutt's produced - Saheb, Bibi Aur Gulam.

"I also see a peacock proudly spreading its magnificently designed feathers in the spray of the falling water. The moonfeathered canopy of his perfect show will remain in my memory like a fresco on the wall. I will never forget that beautiful dancing peacock. ... "

................................................................................................

"I cross the bridge, never knowing that a disaster waits only a breath away. To describe it here is essential except no words can express its shock. A road repair and construction is the cause of intense rock blasting. This compels us to walk off the road and descend a steep slope. There is no alternative offered. Though at some stage we think it is unwise to walk down. We underestimate its complexity. It is dangerous. Once we begin to descend there is no return. With great relief we manage to reach the foot of the hill. Some of us descend with the help of Gurkhas who protect our security in return for a small gift of cash. Our minds are in despair for the hazardous descent. Once at the foot of the hill we are tired and sitting down at the base of the hill. We are in a pensive mood. An inner voice tells us to move away from the spot. May be some Himalayan God, pleased with our pilgrimage, as an unexpected boon, whispers in our hearts and motivates us to move away from that place to a safer place. We move away from that place.

"A negative experience follows. Ten minutes later, at that very same spot, big and heavy rocks slide down. They would have smashed us to dust instantly. This accident shakes all of us at the border crossing the Friendship Bridge between Tibet and Nepal. It could have miserably killed one or all of us. My mind needlessly occupies itself with the other alternative that is forever, thank god, unknown. What if...Who would have even recognised our bodies in the debris of tumbling rocks and smashed earth? During the approximately one thousand and nine hundred miles of our travelling in Tibet, this is the only moment when we come only an inch away from death. To think of it, this moment is like a dark nightmare. Only a divine angel saves our lives."

................................................................................................

"I can give not what men call love.

"But will thou accept not

"The worship the heart lifts above

"And the Heavens reject not.

"óNILESH DWARKADAS NATHWANI"

................................................................................................

"For four major religions of the world, i.e. for Tibetan Buddhism, Jainism, Bompo (a religion prior to Buddhism in Tibet) and Hinduism, Mount Kailash is the spot of utmost reverence and importance.

"For the Buddhists, Kailash is the centre point of the universe. Many Tibetan Buddhist thinkers and spiritual giants engaged in long meditations to realise Nirvana at the foot of Kailash. So many monasteries around Kailash and Mansarovar bear witness to this living truth even today. The tale of the philosopher-king, Milarepa, who ascended the glowing lighted peak of Kailash and attained the highest spiritual height, is a marvel still living in the hearts of Tibetan Buddhists. Padmasambhava, who brought Buddhism to Tibet, also spent the last years of his life in deep meditation and probably attained Nirvana here. For some schools of Buddhism, this centre of the world is the only powerful place to realise Nirvana, as Buddhaís force is ever present here.

"For the Jains, Kailash is the Mount Ashtapada and is a place of pilgrimage. It is at the foot of Ashtapada, that Adinath Rishabhdev, one of their first prophets, and some other gurus achieved enlightenment.

"For the Bompo followers, Kailash is the nine-faced Swastika Mountain and is constantly emanating great power. The number nine is also a spiritual number that helps to invoke the latent influence and spiritual power of an individual. The followers of this concept walk around Kailash in an anticlockwise course to invoke the maximum mystic powers of nature.

................................................................................................

"For the Hindus, Kailash is the Sumeru Parvat, the spiritual centre of the world around which all the earthly powers revolve. There is indeed a mystic power that lies behind the creation of our universe ñ visible and invisible, animate and inanimate. In Kailash, this power is inherent. This cosmic power is without any shape, any magnitude or any duration. It is always there. Its perception is beyond any imagination or conception. To facilitate its worshippers, who want to draw energy from this power by way of meditation, a symbol of Linga was created. Linga is a slightly rounded black stone at the top. It represents the entire universe. It certainly is not just the symbol of phallus, the sexual power, as understood in the West. It is also believed that Kailash is aligned with the Axis Mundi. It is the inclined axis of earth vis-á-vis the horizontal plane of rotation. Hence, Kailash-Mansarovar is the chosen abode of Lord Shiva, Parvati (his female consort) and their two sons, Ganesh (the elephant-headed child) and Kartika (Subrahmanya). Adored and worshipped all over India, they are very important and remain as living deities for their worshippers.

"Most of the devoted Hindus who go there attempt to make a 'parikrama' (or circumambulation) of both Kailash and Mansarovar. It is generally known that aquatic life is the first concrete life form in the process of evolution. Perhaps, Brahma, the Creator also created the first life at Mansarovar. Matsya avatar, the fish incarnation of Vishnu, was also born at Mansarovar, as narrated in Hindu mythology. The geographical position of the sweet water lake is truly celestial. The settings of light and water are in perfect blend here. The reflections of Kailash and Mount Gurla Mandhata on Mansarovar in the evening hours, when the golden slanting rays of the sun penetrate through the pure, unpolluted air, are a sight to wonder. When Mansarovar, Kailash and Gurla Mandhata are all lit up in the afterglow of the dusk, it is as if an aarti (a religious worship) is performed in the heavenly chambers of the sky. For the devotees, this is a unique experience of being one with the celestial power on an earthly plane.

"Furthermore, some holy men of India have narrated accounts of their authentic and personal encounter with Lord Shiva at Kailash-Mansarovar. These holy men, who work as mediators between men and Gods, claim that they attained their highest spiritual realisation at Kailash or Mansarovar. Spiritual salvation and darshan (direct encounter) of God attracts the devout Hindu very much and remains the core of his life mission. He wants to see God face to face during his lifetime. Day after day he endeavours to be in unison with God. He talks to Him, feeds Him, plays with Him, sleeps with Him, dreams of Him and makes Him a tangible part of his everyday life. For the devout Hindu, the Lord and His multiple personalities are very real and approachable. That Gods can be easily approached at Kailash-Mansarovar is profoundly engraved in their minds. I have seen the Eternal in a human face, wrote Sri Aurobindo in Savitri. Even for me, the striving and underpinning motivation to go as far as Kailash-Mansarovar was to achieve this realisationóto see the Eternal face to face and talk to Him. This notion predominantly rules the minds of all the ardent seekers of the Ultimate Reality. Therefore, Kailash-Mansarovar is considered to be the most important of all the pilgrimages one can make during one's lifetime to attain spiritual salvation.

................................................................................................

"When one sees Kailash from near, and particularly from the middle point of the base of the south face (when coming from the Indian side, the south face is the first vision of Kailash), one cannot fail to see a massive Shiva figure sitting in perpetual meditation at his permanent abode with the snow flakes flying in the air. It is like seeing a lion or a castle in the contour of a low-hanging white cloud. The contour of Mount Kailash composes this figure. Lord Shiva sits here solid, real and mighty in eternal meditation.

"No doubt Lord Shiva is a cosmic power. A Vedic chant describes this power thus.

"There is nothing apart from Shiva.

"There is nothing other than Shiva.

"Whatever there is, is Shiva.

"There is nothing that is not Shiva.

"There is no time that is not Shiva.

"There is no place that is not Shiva.

"Remembering the all-pervasive consciousness seated in the heart, we bow to Lord Shiva."

" ... It is interesting to note here that a Tibetan told me that the most rare snakes, not to be seen anywhere else in the world, inhabit the moist caves of Kailash. The serpent is a symbol of medical profession. Even in chemist shops it is exposed as an emblemóserpents intertwined around the caduceus, the staff of the Greek god Hermes residing at Mount Cyllene. It is a well known fact that snake venom or Lachesis, is a very useful medicine. Kailash is also home to numerous other herbal medicines besides Lachesis. That is why one of Lord Shivaís many names is Vaidyanath or Lord of Healers."

" ... The trident symbolises His power. The drum symbolises the rhythm of the universe and also characterises the Big Bang Theory. The tongue of flame on the left hand means that the transcendental nature of the universe is hidden behind the aspirations of men. The open palm of the right hand is a gesture of grace indicating ìdo not be scaredî and is to remind us that grace is constantly flowing from above and there is no need for us to fear the destruction, which is inevitable. ... "

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"12. Wherever is our body, if we concertrate in our heart on the lord, there He is with us."

................................................................................................

"The Himalayan Mountains act as a shield protecting India from the bitter cold winds. Very cold winds blow in Tibet throughout the year. So one has to be very careful in selecting the time of visit and lucky to get the right weather conditions while visiting Kailash-Mansarovar. The best time for visiting is from mid May to the end of June. During this time of the year, the weather is normally dependable and visibility remains crystal clear. The air warms up when the sun shines while the nights are inevitably freezing.

"There is a direct route from the Indian side crossing the border at Lipu Lekh Pass. The pilgrimage is organized by the Uttar Pradesh State Government and is a package deal that covers all expenses including transport. It provides vegetarian food. The primary requirement of the tour is that the traveller possesses the medical fitness certificate test. It is indeed a hard journey that involves trekking at 4700 meters above sea level. The parikrama around Kailash is about 52 km. and the parikrama around Mansarovar is around 75 km. ... Talking to some pilgrims who have done this pilgrimage, I found out that the trip to Kailash Mansarovar is so tempting that some pilgrims repeat it every year under a different name. ... "

................................................................................................

" ... From Lhasa our group started in two Land cruisers and one truck. So began our journey to Kailash Mansarovar.

"Only at Gyantse and Shigaste did we stay at luxurious government hotels. After Shigatse we took the Northern motorway, living in tents and local Chinese guesthouses. We paid about Rupees 200, - per bed per night at local guesthouses. The bed sheets were far from being white, were unwashed and smelt of yak butter. We used our sleeping bags over the beds. I will give our route in short form also shown in the book on the route map. Lhasa - Gyantse Shigaste - Lhatse - Sang Sang - Tsuoquing - Geze - Gegyi Shiquane (Ali) - Purang - Trethapuri - Darchen - Mansarovar. From Mansarovar taking the Southern motorway towards Everest we passed by Nagri Korsum, Porang, Old Tingri, and Rongbuk Monastery. We stayed two nights at the Everest base camp. Travelling further towards Nepal we stayed at Zhangmu and crossing the Nepal-China Friendship Bridge returned to Kathmandu over Dhulikhel.

"It is important to note that for taking photographs and videos in the interior of the monasteries, one is required to pay charges that differ from monastery to monastery. At times these could be exorbitant. One cannot buy quality photographic material in Tibet except in Lhasa. So one is advised to carry enough of it with oneself. It is best to carry professional material as photography in the bright sunlight of Tibet is a delight.

"One should be prepared to accept loss of appetite, fatigue, headache, nausea, dizziness, palpitations, sleeplessness, shortness of breath as normal as these are common symptoms of acute mountain sickness. One should still seek medical advice. Once one is on such a high altitude, avoid rapid movements and even talking. Silence proves to be pure gold. Drinking a lot of water helps to minimise these sicknesses. One pays a high price for such an adventure and so one must be mentally prepared to accept a lot of inconvenience. Despite all the inconveniences, I am of the opinion that there is no journey like Kailash-Mansarovar. It is certainly a unique experience. If there are heavenly abodes on earth, Kailash-Mansarovar is to be treasured as one that is the most celestial."

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A story that's parable about two men seeking kings audience.

"King ñ God Wife - Shakti (latent power) Man ñ Seeker Secretary-Guru (spiritual mediator) Royal garden - material world."

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"If you are serious about photography, in addition to the camera, and lenses, consider taking accessories ñ the most important being a tripod, a flashgun, enough films or memory cards, and batteries, a polarising filter and a graduated neutral density filter, a rucksack or a camera bag that allows easy access to your equipment even when you are trekking. Always carry more films/memory cards, and batteries than you think you will need. If you use a digital camera, you will also need to take a portable storage device (20 to 40 gigabyte capacity) for transferring digital images from the memory card regularly. Remember that there may not be electricity for any rechargeable batteries. Before taking portraits of strangers, seek their permission. If they are reluctant, do not take their photograph.

................................................................................................

"Photographic opportunities

"We were mostly above 3000 meter altitude - above the treeline. There were varied landscapes ñ around mount Kailash and Mansarovar. The monasteries with beautifully ornate statues, and decorations, and people ñ they were very cooperative and totally unselfconscious people - provided unlimited opportunities for photography. There were ample opportunities for photography inside the monasteries though we had to pay $8 per room per photographer. It was then possible to use a tripod, and fill-flash for the statues. For people photography, I used fill-flash to obtain catch-lights in the eyes, and to relieve obtrusive shadows. Exposure was based on the very reliable built in matrix meter of the F5 camera."

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"LIST OF THE ITEMS THAT SHOULD BE CARRIED*

"1. Photographs of grandparents, parents, and family members with whom you love to share this pilgrimage.

"2. Wide brimmed hat of cloth/felt with chinstrap.

"3. Balaclava/monkey woollen cap.

"4. Woollen scarf.

"5. Sleeve tee shirts as underwear (maximum four).

"6. Cotton underwear (maximum four).

"7. Flannel shirts (maximum two).

"8. Sleeveless pullover or fleece jacket.

"9. Long sleeve thick pullover (one).

"10. Coloured trousers with 4 pockets (maximum two including the one on body).

"11. Shorts (one).

"12. Woollen and acryl socks (four)

"13. Long johns (two)

"14. Ski jacket.

"15. Windbreaker jacket.

"16. Woollen gloves /ski gloves.

"17. Towel.

"18. Napkin.

"19. Handkerchief.

"20. Mountain shoes.

"21. Trainers.

"22. Warm slippers.

"23. Folding umbrella/ raincoat.

"24. Air pillow

"25. Large carry bag with liner."

"26. Swimming costume.

"27. Ruck sack.

"28. Sleeping bag suitable for temperatures of minus 200C.

"29. Walking stick.

"30. Drinking water bottle (metal).

"31. Hot water bottle.

"32. Thermos flask.

"33. Urine bottle for the night.

"34. Sunglasses.

"35. Extra pair of spectacles.

"36. Watch.

"37. Alarm clock.

"38. Torch with extra bulb and batteries.

"39. Penknife.

"40. Diary/notice book.

"41. Envelopes and paper.

"42. Ball pens.

"43. Sewing kit with needles, thread and buttons.

"44. First Aid set including painkillers, antibiotics, calendula, arnica and arsenic alb D200 etc.

"45. Electrolytes or mineral salts to add to drinking water.

"46. Sun protection cream.

"47. Lip balm.

"48. Camera with wide angle and tele optics.

"49. Camera films. (At least 2 with higher sensitivity, say 800 ASA)

"50. Binoculars.

"51. Nail cutter.

"52. Comb.

"53. Hair cream.

"54. Shaving set.

"55. Tooth brush.

"56. Toilet paper rolls/ Wet wipes

"57. Tooth paste

"58. Soap.

"59. Washing powder."

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CONTENTS

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List of Illustrations viii

Foreword by Vinod Budhdeo ix

Acknowledgement and Gratitude xiii

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Diary 1-90

Epilogue 91

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Appendices 99-112

A: Apropos 101

B: Kingís Audience 104

C: Photographic Tips and Suggestions 107

D: List of the Items to be Carried 111

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Bibliography 113

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS*

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1. Map of Kailash-Mansarovar ii

2. Route Map 2

3. Colours at Pashupatinath Temple 5

4. Nagarkot ñ A Tranquil Ambience 6

5. River Brahmaputra 9

6. Fresco on the way from Airport to Lhasa City 10

7. The Potala Palace 12

8. Grand Buddha at Tashilumpu Monastery 16

9. Camping in the Wilderness 24

10. The Little One 28

11. Majestic Kailash 33

12. A Silent Prayer 34

13. Kailash-Mansarovar 37

14. Mount Gurla Mandhata ñ North Face 42

15. West Coast Mansarovar 43

16. KailashóEmbodiment of Universal Power 45

17. Gate to Nirvana-Door Knob at Monastery 46

18. On Cora 48

19. On Pilgrimage 49

20. Kailash at Night 51

21. A Devotee in Cora 58

22. Grand Kailash 60

23. Mansarovar 64

24. Bare Shiva Wearing A snow-white Pelerine 66

25. Kailash Mansarovar 69

26. A King of Kings 70

27. Gurla Mandhata Mansarovar 74

28. Mount Everest 78

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REVIEW

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FOREWORD

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Next part is confusing, since it says the protagonist thought of the author.

" ... We needed one more companion. I straightaway thought of Nilesh Nathwani in Vienna. Nilesh is not a very easy person to put up with. His thinking is totally different. ... "

So are there joint authors writing under one name?

There's considerable amount of description of the author following, of flattering nature.

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"xKAILASH-MANSAROVAR

................................................................................................

"DIARY OF A PILGRIM xi

That explains the mystery. Foreword is by another traveller.

................................................................................................

"Diwali, óVINOD BUDDHEO

"26th October, 2000"

That name ought to be spelt Buddhadev, or Buddhadeo, to make any sense whatsoever.

That symbol, ó, repeats often in the book, and it's unclear if it's a repeated mistake or is supposed to have significance.

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" ... I love and admire all these lovely people who nursed the birth of this booklet. ... "

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December 02, 2022 - December 02, 2022.

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Diary 1-90