Kailash Mansarovar Yatra - Part 1

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra - 9th June to 10th July 2013

MahaPeriyavaa Charanam! Sarvajnya SarvaVyapi Maha Periyavaa Charanam!!

It was 9th July 2013.  It had been 5 days since we reached Gunji through Lipulekh Pass after a memorable Parikrama of the sacred Mount Kailash and dips in the Sacred lake Mansarovar.  All of us were getting restless and had no clue as to how and when we will reach Delhi and our hometowns.  The previous 4 days had been cloudy days and hence no chance of air-lifting us.  We were told to trek down to Chialake in batches of 20 and wait for air-lift as probability of small copters reaching that valley was much more - but this trekking down was also becoming impossible due to weather condition and the road and river condition.

I left my bed at around 7 am and finished my morning chores; packed my back-pack with all my sundry things; kept the shoes ready to wear; packed the slippers and put them away in the back-pack; took out the above photo of MahaSwami which was ALWAYS with me during the Yatra - I kept seeing Him and spoke to Him - YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE DECISION ON OUR NEXT MOVE - IT IS YOU OR NONE - I took the small prayer book of hymns written by Kaviyogi Maharshi Shuddhananda Bharati on Ganesha, Karthikeya, Nataraja and Shakthi - and started reading them all one by one - the only thought in my mind was that, by the time I complete reading all the hymns (which should not take more than 45 minutes) HE WILL ANSWER ME.  Yes, He did answer me within 15 minutes - suddenly there was activity - sound of approaching helicopter was heard - and our LO announced the names of first batch yatris to take the heli.  I completed the recitation and went out when LO was calling my name in the second batch.

As my bag was already packed and ready, I had to just wear my shoes and clutch my back-pack.  My (Sup)porter Himanshu came in just then along with my ponywallah Bhim Singh.  They both walked with me to the heli-pad - and I was feeling bad to leave them there - all I could do was give them each Rs.500/- other than the additional tips I had paid them already.  Bhim Singh was in tears and Himanshu was wondering how to react.  I had to wait for another 10 minutes and my turn for the heli-pick-up came.  I was inside the helicopter with 11 more Yatris - I could see the beautiful saree of Mother earth in varied colours, but dominated by green and white streaks of water falls and rivers, and brown streaks of mud here and there...... the sight was awesome and my mouth went on uttering Sarvajnya SarvaVyapi MahaPeriyavaa Charanam.... I honestly had done nothing great to deserve your unlimited instantaneous blessings - still you chose me to be the recipient of your Karunyam.....

All of us landed at Dharchula and was greeted by the beaming MD of Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.. I went around the helicopter and called for the attention of the pilots and thanked them - as the risk they had taken was unimaginable.  They went for their next round of pick-up of Yatris as the call of duty was more important to them.. My Salute to all the Defense personnel who live for others and never for themselves!!

We were greeted by the soldiers of the Indian Armed Force at this base and given hot tea and water. We proceeded to the guest house of KMVNL. I had a cold shower and got into my double-layered trouser which I normally wear for long treks without giving much thought, as that was the only trouser I had.  I had given away all my used clothes including socks and inner-wear to my ponywallah, as he told me that he has 3 daughters - I gave almost everything to him including my waist pouch, rain-coat, gloves.

Some of my batchmates had taken photographs from heli, insides of the heli, and almost every moment of the Yatra.. I did not feel like capturing these precious moments in physical camera as I wanted to fill my mental camera with all those beautiful sights and sounds.

This day, that moment when I heard the sound of approaching helicopter when noone expected it to come that day, was the greatest day, greatest moment of the Yatra for me, as I know that, that is when He revealed Himself to me. The exact lines that Kaviyogi had written in the hymn that I read was "Guru Vadivaaha Vandhemakkinbam koduththidum Gunanidhi Potri!"  "குருவடிவாக  வந்தெமக் கின்பங் கொடுத்திடுங் குணநிதி போற்றி" -  How Apt!!

More to follow in more appropriate order!