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Writer's pictureAishwarya Saigal

Mt. Kailash 2014 - Chapter 1

In 2013, a fire arose in me to go to Mt. Kailash with Sadhguru. I wanted to do it asap. It started materialising in April 2014.


Day 01, Arrival in Kathmandu, Nepal, 12th August 2014


Flight from Delhi to Kathmandu landed at 12:37pm and the Isha volunteers guided us to the hotel. On the drive, I was greeted by green hillsides and temples at every corner in the congested hill capital of Nepal, the country from where my name came to me. (The Late Queen of Nepal, was visiting India, 6 months after I was born, till which time my name was undecided!)


After arriving and checking in with the Isha Sacred Walks at The Soaltee hotel, I ventured to Thamel by myself. It felt like home navigating through the small gullies of little shops with things of great use and interest. I needed some trekking gear like waterproof gloves and shoe covers. Got myself a flat hat and trekking stick as well - as suggested in the guidelines sent by Isha.

I had the good fortune of seeing the procession of child Devi through the crowded streets. (I had seen a documentary long back on the same). I also saw a Triangular opening in the Sky with the beautiful light of the golden hour doing its magic. The Triangle was more like a heart shape sideways, or the number 3 as the right side of the triangle.


The people in Nepal felt warmer and kinder. I was happy and excited.

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Next, Day 02, was a visit to the famous Pashupatinath Temple and Shanti Stupa. (13/08/2014)



There were about 200 in the A1 - Group that was to go to Mt. Kailash. We were briefed by the volunteers and brahmcharis about our duffle bags, warm gear, waterproof equipment etc. I finally got to know some more names of Isha volunteers like Kanan Anna, Ma Gambhiri and Swami Probodha. We had breakfast and were taken to Pahupatinath Temple. An old Temple Complex sprawls at the banks of River Bagmati. The main temple with the Shivalingam is open from 3 directions for the pilgrims to worship. Its very popular and smeared with vermillion (kum kum) and flowers and milk, along with many human hands. It was a powerful experience doing the rituals that I was just learning.

But I was happily amazed to see that the lingam is in the form of faces on 3 tiers on all 4 sides. Its considered a Jyotirlinga and represents the Ajna Chakra.


There was a place in the complex where there were hundreds of small shivalingams rising out from the rock floor and almost all had some remains of kum kum on them. I enjoyed walking through the maze with a silent chant. Next was a devi temple going down some steep steps in an open basement, with a Peepal tree growing above it with its roots holding the old stones.


The Shanti Stupa was also a beautiful and peaceful experience. The chants of Om Mani Padme Hum was playing pleasantly in the background, while shops surround the lower rung, you can walk around the stupa on the circumambulation above. I felt that the water stains formed Heart shape all around the stupa. It was lovely.

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After this we had a big meeting and we were told that China was issuing only 20 passports at a time and was restricting the flow of tourists. So we all sat outside in the garden of the hotel and listened to the names whose visa had arrived, hoping the darnedest for our names to be called. About 75 chosen people left for the journey towards Mt. Kailash.


While remainder were taken to Mankameshwari temple on Day03, (14/08/2014)



Driving through the country was just most breathtaking and life giving feeling. I had met Shailja in Delhi, but knew no one else when we got to Nepal. After the first lot left, the rest of us started to mingle and got to know some names and faces.

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We were also moved to Dhulikhel at some point, from where we were given the option the go to Devi's Falls (which also has a cave temple) in Pokhra (Day 04 and 05, 15-16 Aug 2014).

I was happy to explore the beauty of the land and its inviting rivers and hills. Through the rolling mist capturing the snow covered mountains at the early hours of the morning was invigorating. Yet there was the pining of reaching Kailash to get to see Sadhguru.



We had returned to Dhulikhel (Day 05) before noon but had no information on the visas. We went for a heavy hearted walk and I could see a triangle in the sky, which I considered to be Mt. Kailash itself. And it gave me hope that we will make it. I also captured a faint rainbow reaching out lifting my heart a bit.


By the evening the next lot of 20 visa's got announced and in this lot were some people who I had got to know. Some of us girls had bonded and one of them was leaving in the T20 group. I had a feeling that she would be able to deliver the trail mix i had made for Sadhguru before his journey gets over. So I wrote my heart in a poem and, a letter, and packed it up nicely with the trail mix in a bag.

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On Day 06, we visited Bhaktapur (17/08/2014) and further bonded.



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Day 07, 18/082014, Dhulikhel, the batch that was left behind did their practices and visited a temple close by which had 12 Jyotirlingas, representing the original ones in India. We also had gotten to know each other better. We had discovered that an 80 year old grandma, who we lovingly called Paati (Tamil) had been left behind while her entire family of 7 had hesitantly gone in the first batch. They had come on her behest and offered to stay back or cancel, but she sent them ahead reassuring them that she will make it on her own. And she was so full of life that she put the younger lot to shame in walking and climbing and being there!




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Thanks for sharing this today . What lovely pics & through you I travelled to Mt Kailash.... Enjoying the serenity, peace and divine energies.

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