Kailash Mansarovar Yatra - Part 13

Stay at Gunji..

The temple seen is Vyas Muni temple in Gunji. We were in Gunji for 5 anxious days, waiting for some information / instruction from our Liaison Officer. He was getting instructions from MEA, and I have no idea how MEA decides - they must be basing their decision on the input given by our LO and KMVN guide and of course weather forecasts. But there was no announcement or briefing on any day. 

We were told that our China visa is valid upto 3rd July. 

By the second day of our stay at Gunji, water position improved and we got water in the bathrooms and toilets. We were given tea in the morning, breakfast around 8 am, lunch at 1 pm, tea again at 4 pm, hot soup at 6 pm and dinner at 8:30 or 9 pm. So, every day was a rest-day and we were in Himalayas.  We could have jolly well treated it as a Himalayan holiday resort and had fun! But, lo, we were anxious, tensed and worried about whether we are going further to Tibet or going back to Delhi. So, every gossip, every rumour was given undue importance and time was spent in tension.

In the meanwhile, all our clothes had dried very nicely and all of us were very comfortable. We walked to the Gunji village which has a Mahatma Gandhi square (where village Panchayat happens), small closed houses which had very ornamental woodden doors, many shephards with their sheep and horses, and some shops where the womenfolk sell anything from soap to woollen sweater. Coke and Pepsi were avilable! Some shop-keepers had their wives prepare parathas, samosas and sell to the porters, ponywallahs and of course to Yatris as well. I bought some ready-to-use garments for immediate use and a bottle of mustard oil. I was applying mustard oil liberally on myself everyday and I believed that it keeps me warm. It did soften my skin and I felt good with that oil on me, though all my clothes were smelling of mustard oil! I sort of became a fan of mustard oil in those 5 days!

The second day at Gunji saw us reporting to the ITBP doctor for health check-up. All of us were cleared for journey further and some were given some advice on regular use of tablets. We also planted saplings in the ITBP area. There is a nice temple in this camp, which was visited by us in the morning or evening. Every evening Bhajan session was held here and we all sang with the ITBP constables. The lady constables of ITBP sang some very nice Bhajans and we started waiting for the tasty Prasad that they distributed there at the end of the Bhajan session!

In the late mornings and early afternoons we used to walk around the camp-site - walk upto SSB area where the public telephone charges were very low. 

She is a Gunji villager (they all have Gunjal surname) who was waiting with me for her turn in the PCO - her son is in Kudremukh, Karnataka, but she says that she cannot stay anywhere other than her favourite Gunji village on Himalayas.... 

We used to walk up to that place and make phone calls to home and friends. We walked upto that Vyas temple and had some peaceful unhurried photography sessions there! Some people used to cross the bridge and go to a shop there to enjoy some samosas and jalebis!

In all this holiday mood, we were all concerned about our luggage which should reach us from Gala. Again we had enough rumours than facts - LO asked us whether we are willing to proceed further without the luggage; as expected group was divided into two. I signed up for moving without luggage and there were tempers thrown and hot discussions and debates as to the "foolish" step of moving without luggage. By the fourth day we saw ponies coming with our luggage and that was a moment of jubilation and much cheer! All the ponies and luggage had royal reception and the group was now ready to move further if MEA permission comes.

By now, my patience was thinning, and in the evening Bhajan, I announced that those who want to join me in recitation of Hanuman Chalisa for 108 times may join me at the temple the next day at 10 am. There was good response, where some people said that we should recite it then and there. So, we all recited Hanuman Chalisa 4 times (nearly 27 people reciting it 4 times), which was a great show of unity. Next day I went to temple and found that Manik and Sanjay from Nagpur were only there. Myself and Manik started the recitation and then Hamsaben joined us. We 3 recited Hanuman Chalisa multiple times and Manik decided that we had completed 100 times!  

By dinner time we got the news that MEA has asked us to proceed further to Nabidhang by taking a day's break at Kalapani!  Jai Bajrang Bali!  

Frantic preparations started; all open bags were closed and packed well. We left Gunji the next day and reached Kalapani camp crossing the beautiful Kali Maa temple! 

The small temples seen in the photograph above are Kali Maa temple and Hanumanji temple. The stretch between Gunji and Kalapani is very very beautiful with mountains, rivers and some vegetation. There are a number of flowers in dark purple and yellow and white... I did not see any birds other than sparrows.

We had to cross a river and climb up for some time and then walk straight. Bhim Singh was happy to be moving and insisted that I take the pony. I was happy to sit on the pony and go singing my favourite Bhajans and songs. That was a beautiful day filled with happiness, hope and devotion. I was happy that Hanumanji answered our prayers immediately and I was feeling thankful and happy.

The photo above is taken on the route to Kalapani from Gunji...

Normally yatris proceed from Gunji to Nabidhang in one day, halting at Kalapani just for lunch. But in our case, it was decided that we will halt at Kalapani for the night and proceed to Nabidhang the next day, so that we reach Nabidhang well in time and have enough rest there so that we are ready to leave for Lipulekh Pass in the middle of night from Nabidhang.

This was one camp where all of us reached in great shape and happy with no trace of tiredness at all. As always, ITBP welcomed us at Kalapani camp with water, hot tea and tasty potatoe chips. The temple is very very sacred and Kali Maa appeared to me as my dear Meenakshi at Madurai temple. 

Immigration out of India happens at Kalapani, where two immigration officials sit and check our passport and stamp the passports. We had lunch and everyone was busy clicking photographs to their heart's content! We were all behaving like bunch of school children on their first-ever picnic. The mood was jubilant and the air was fresh and weather was too good. No rains, no cold winds - Sun was on us mild and warm, just like our hearts and mood!

That day evening we all assembled at Kalapani Kali Mandir (from where Kali Nadhi originates) and sang a good number of Bhajans and songs - the happiness was overflowing and a group of ladies started dancing for the song " Bhole Baba se milunaa aasaanu nahi - thoda kashtu uttana padu tha hai"... Charulata pulled me into the dance and all of us were going round in circles like Garbha clapping our hands and dancing and singing to the Bhajans. Temple had good number of instruments to keep beat and everyone was happily participating in the happy Bhajan. I am sure that Kaali Maa was happy to see Her children in such happy mood and She decided that day that we all should have darshan of Her Lord and also Her Gauri Kund and Manasarovar Lake. 

We went to sleep and by 6 am next day, we were all ready for our trek to Nabidhang. I found one Yatri taking bath in cold water and could only wonder at his physical capacity to take so much cold so bravely!

We trekked up to Nabidhang seeing the beautiful flowers all over the valley. Some places were full of purple flowers - some with white and red flowers - some with yellow ones; the one that I liked were the bushes where red flowers bloom starting with white colour. Hence, they were looking like small bouquets of white and red flowers....

I had no heart to waste my time clicking photos of these beautiful flowers, as I was feasting my eyes with the colours and patterns all over Mother Earth. I think my pony was also in a happy frame of mind - he went in a very slow pace and Bhim Singh was happy to walk peacefully. I enjoyed this trek very much and as usual, sang to my heart's content all the songs and Bhajans that came to my mind. Honestly, I could not believe that earth can be so beautiful. I have been to many places all over India, USA, Australia, UAE and Sri Lanka. But the beauty that I saw and felt in this stretch is so special, that I can call this as the most beautiful place that I have ever seen till date.

Flowers photo and OM Parvat photo courtesy : Sachin Kotangale from Bangalore!

Thanks Sachin for capturing these lovelies!

We reached Nabidhang within 2 or 3 hours and saw Om Parvat!  OH was visible clearly but not M... but the sight was honestly awesome! How on earth a mountain can have depression on it in such a way that the Sanskrit OMH is formed when snow falls on it!  Can anyone explain this??

There was nice food, phone and a lot of Sun Shine. Hence we spent the time sitting out and chatting. 

Dinner was served at 6 pm that day so that we can sleep early and leave the camp at 1 am that night. Porters came to help the yatris with packing. We kept the money to be paid to Porters and Ponywallahs in separate plastic covers in such a way that we can give it to them on reaching Lipulekh pass. We kept our passports also in the waist pouch so that we can easily take it out on reaching China side of the Lipulekh pass.

We were instructed to keep a part of the payment to porters and ponywallahs so that they will wait for our return and take us back. Though I did not like this part, I had to comply. I spoke to Himanshu and Bhim Singh requesting them to wait till I come back and take me back safely to Dharchula. They gladly agreed and were very helpful.

We were asked to leave our memory card of the camera with photographs of India side of the Yatra at Nabidhang. We could leave the unwanted luggage also there. As my luggage had come from Gala, I left the clothes that were maximum used till then at Nabidhang and took 2 sets of unused clothes and 1 set of used clothes with me other than whatever I wore for the trek to Lipulekh pass.

So, let this pause with stay at Nabidhang with the sight of OM Parvath! Om Nama Shivayah!