Sunday, 19th August 2012 Drive from Saga to Parayang to Manasarovar and Overnight stay at Mansarovar 

Again another long drive of around three hundred and fifty miles and most of the day time we were driving above fifteen to sixteen thousand feet high altitude.  Again the panoramic view was extremely beautiful.  On the way we could see herds of sheep, horses and yaks raring on the fields.  It was interesting to note that we did not see anyone watching the animals there.  Most of the areas are arid with some marshy grassland in the valleys.  We could spot a couple of places with stones shaped like Ganapathy, Mahadeva, Maha Vishnu, Devi and as well as Buddha.  Parayang is known as the world’s highest town.  It is considered to be a travelers’ abode en-route Manasarovar – Kailash.

There are some telephone booths with international calling facility.  Accommodation was in guest house but it is advisable to use open air for toilet facilities.  I also have to mention that we were provided with a mug of hot water every day in the morning by our Travel Agency in order to brush teeth and wash face.

At Parayang (This is the World's Highest Town) – Tibet Township.  Obligation to Tibet Travel.Org

At Parayang (This is the World's Highest Town) – Tibet Township.  Obligation to Tibet Travel.Org

After a brief stay at Parayang we drove to Mansarovar.

This is one of the most auspicious and fulfilling days of my life as I was able to make half a circumambulation to Manasa Sarovaram.

[It is very coincidental that I happened to write this portion of this travelogue on 25th of May 2014 which is my sixty sixth birthday. ] 

There are many popular Mythological or Scriptural stories about Manasa Sarovaram.  Let me quote a couple of them for the benefit of those who have not read about them.  

Manasarovar is the combination of two Sanskrit words Manasa and Sarovaram.  And Manasa means Mind and Sarovaram means Lake.  And the name is so derived because immediately after Brahma Deva (The Creator) created the Earth he created this Lake out of his Mind.  When you create something in your mind it can be as perfect and as pure according to your imagination.  Whenever there is any material involvement it can become imperfect and impure simply because of the involvement of external agents and purely based upon the mental imaginations.  

One story says that it has been created by Brahma Deva for his sons to perform daily ablution and rituals.  Another story says that it was created as the abode of the Swans or a Goose and in Sanskrit it is Hamsa.   And yet another one is that it has been created for Parvathi Devi the consort of Lord Kailash Natha and yet another one is that it has been created for angels of Heaven.  

The most popular one is that it is created as the abode of Hamsa.  Hamsa is also an incarnation of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu incarnated to explain the meanings of Vedas in detail to Narada.  The story is that Narada asked some specific questions about Vedas to Brahma Deva and Brahma Deva prayed Lord Maha Vishnu to help him for clarifying it to Narada.  So Maha Vishnu incarnated as a Swan and clarified all questions.  

According to Upanishads Hamsa has been attributed many qualities like as a symbol of Purity, detachment, divine knowledge, the cosmic breath and the highest spiritual attainment.  

It is believed that mysterious lights appearing during nights above the Mansa Sarovaram is that of this Heavenly Hamsam’s   visit to perform ablution and other rituals.   Incidentally, a few ladies of our team have seen this mysterious light at around 3 AM in the morning.  They waited on the banks of Manasa Sarovaram in the night with the sole purpose to have a darsan of this light.  

What an experience.  It is a divine contentment.  The remaining few days were so fulfilled with such life time rewarding experience.  It is simply beyond words to explain.  We were all so jubilant and happy and contented.  We could not even assemble all the members of the team for a picture as some of us wanted to touch the water of Manasa Sarovaram as it is considered to be holy water.  Some of us touched on the ground as the whole area was considered to be divine.  Some of us prostrated.  Some of us prayed with folded hands.  Some of us shouted with eternal joy.  Some of us thrilled as if unable to believe that we are truly at Manasa Sarovaram.  Some of us simply were excited out of astonishment and disbelief that we are still alive and touching on the holy waters of Manasa Sarovaram.  Let me put it that it was simply beyond words the emotions and satisfactions we had at that time.     

What rewarding moment of our lives!  Our First View of Mansarovar

What a Heavenly Look!  Mansarovar  Under Bright White and Blue Sky Line

What rewarding moment of our lives!  So Excited! So Happy!  Fully Contented.  We are on the banks of Manasa Sarovaram!

What rewarding moment of our lives!  So Excited! So Happy!  Fully Contented.  We are on the banks of Manasa Sarovaram! As we are all so excited could not assemble for pictures!

Still we are trying to get all of us together!

I am still missing two.  One of the Most Blessed Moment of Our Lives!

Most Blessed Moment of My Life.  We are at Mansarovar

Most Blessed Moment of My Life.  We are at Mansarovar

With Subhash and Pankat at Mansarovar

With Subhash and Pankaj a few hundred feet away from Mansarovar

So Jubilant we are in Mansarovar.  A Dream Came True!

We are not having Dip in Mansarovar now but we are performing our Tarpan

Inside Mansarovar with Subhash

Some of our lady members inside Mansarovar

Pankaj-Minal and Group inside Mansarovar

Kamini and Paxa (Sisters) at Mansarovar

See the beauty of the bright skyline above Mansarovar

Manasa Sarovaram is located in Tibetan Plateau.  It is 15,060 feet above sea level and is with a surface area of 160 square miles. The west of it is Rakshastal and north is Mount Kailash.  At some places of the lake it is about three hundred feet deep.  But the area we visited was not that deep as we could walk inside the lake for hundred two hundred feet where the water level was only about two to three feet deep.  On the way we did not take dip in Manasa Sarovaram as advised by our Agency as there was a chance to catch cold.  But on our return trip after Kailash Parikram we had a dip in Manasa Sarovaram.

It takes about fifty five miles to complete a circumambulation of Manasa Sarovaram.  On our onward trip we completed half of it and the remaining half was completed on our return journey.  After completing the first half we camped on the banks of Manasa Sarovaram.  There were small guest houses.  And a few of us were accommodated in a camp.  Subhash and I preferred to stay in a tent/camp for a change.  Earthbound Expedition always carries materials for tents as a precaution for emergencies.  A few of us thus got the opportunity to experience the tent/camp life also for one night.  Guest houses here are made of mud and raw bricks.  Electricity is from solar energy and hence there was only limited supply.  But you will enjoy the stay simply because of the feeling that you are just a couple of hundred feet away from Manasa Sarovaram.

For the record Manasa Sarovaram is not the highest and largest freshwater lakes in the world.  Angpa Tso is at about 16,211 feet above sea level and is with a surface area of 193 square miles and also there is Pumoyong Tso at about 16,463 feet above sea level with a surface area of 113 square miles both located on the same Tibetan Plateau.  But, people are not visiting these lakes and as there is no pilgrimage relevance to these lakes.  And also we do not know how deep these lakes are.

Rakshastal also known as devils’ pool is very close by Manasa Sarovaram.  But Rakshastal has saline and sulfide water harmful to the skin and no one enters this lake or pool.  Mythological story is that this lake was dug for the purpose of Ravana.  When Ravana tossed Kailash his hands were crushed under the mountain as Lord Maheswara started dancing his famous Thandava steps. But Lord Maheswara released him out of mercy after hearing Ravana’s shriek screaming or loud cry out of intolerable pain. Until such time his name was Desagreeva, meaning the one with ten necks, but due to this terrifying loud cry Lord Maheswara told him that henceforth he would popularly be known as Ravana. The word Ravana means the one with sonorous crying or roaring.  Ravana became a staunch devotee of Lord Maheswara.  It is believed that Ravana made this Rakshastal in order for him take daily ablutions and rituals for worshiping Lord Maheswara.  And River Sutlej originates from the northwestern tip of Rakshastal.    

Lake Rakshastal - 1

Lake Rakshastal - 2

Lake Rakshastal - 3