A spiritual destination

Holy to the devout of many faiths, Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar combine scenic splendour and geographic mysteries. Written from a Hindu perspective, there is more enthusiasm than literary merit in the book under review, says THINLAY DENSAPA.

IN the northern reaches of the Tibetan Himalayas are barren stretches of rock and cacti, "a vast, sterile and terrible desert" according to the first European who travelled there, an Italian Jesuit monk. Crossing this desert and following the Tsangpo river, you can go all the way to Lhasa as the monk did during a bitter winter in 1775. On the way, like him, you would pass Lake Mansarovar and Mount Kailash. Buddhists believe that a stream from the mountain tumbles into a nearby lake from which rivers flow in the four cardinal directions; and curiously enough, the source of four major sub-continental rivers, the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Sutlej and the Karnali, can be traced to a point near Mt. Kailash, at a height of 6,740 metres.

Given the combination of scenic splendour and ancient geographical mysteries, it is little wonder that Mt. Kailash is holy to the devout of many faiths. Pre-Buddhist animistic Bons trace the birth of their prophet to this peak. The first Jain Tirthankara, Adinath Rishabnath, is said to have attained salvation here. Buddhists consider the peak to be the navel, or centre, of the world. Near here the renowned Buddhist poet-saint Milarepa is said to have spent years in a cave in meditation and prayer. Kailash is also known as Mt. Meru, the abode of Shiva and Parvati, one of the holiest places for Hindu pilgrims.

Every year, such pilgrims make their way to Mansarovar and Kailash through a special arrangement between the Indian and Chinese governments. From Tarun Vijay's account of his pilgrimage, it is no picnic. Wet shoes, tired knees, gorgeous views, indifferent food, glorious sunsets, dirty sleeping bags and dangerous ascents are all a part of the pilgrim's mixed bag. It was during one of these pilgrimages a couple of years ago that many travellers were killed in a landslide at Malpa, one of the halts on the way. To allay people's fears, the government has now provided them with everything from helicopters and hospitals to telephones and professional guides. And the trek no longer halts at Malpa.

There is more schoolboyish enthusiasm than literary merit in this book. Writing for the devout Hindu, the author tries to communicate his feelings of spiritual fulfilment. There are descriptions of the experience of high altitudes, arduous climbing and fellow travellers. The book has some interesting photographs and boxes containing religious legends and snippets from history. It is printed on glossy paper in full colour; curiously, most pages have an orange border printed on them.

An Odyssey in Tibet: A Pilgrimage to Kailas Mansarovar, Tarun Vijay, Ritwik, hardback, p.128, Rs 800.

The writer is a Tibetan scholar in Delhi.

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