Yatris receive their jackets and sleeping bags at the station manned by our divine seva team

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June 6  -- The Journey Begins
On early morning of June 6 we left from Kathmandu expecting to reach the Kodari Border (between Nepal and Tibet) by noon so that we could pass quickly though customs and continue on to Zhangmu by mid afternoon. However, the mantra and motto were "This is  yatra" and on yatra the Divine Plan is frequently different from the planned itinerary! At a narrow stretch of mountainous road there had been a large landslide, filling the road with rocks, gravel and debris. A truck coming down the mountain was already stuck and none of our buses could pass over the hill of rocks next to the truck.... while dozens of other Chinese, Nepalese and Indian travelers, drivers and locals stood by and watched, our dynamite team of youth from UK and USA immediately got to work personally clearing the rocks with their own hands and devised an engineering feat for how to allow the buses to pass. Thanks to Nishit, Jeetu, Neeraj, Nikhil, Tony, Antonio and Holly for clearing the way for us and for all the other travelers.

In the meantime, however, Pujya Shankaracharyaji, Pujya Rasayani Babaji, Sanjeev Chopraji and Gurushabd Khalsa had all decided to walk ahead. In the two hours we were stuck, they almost reached the China border on foot!

We had lunch at a beautiful location overlooking the Bhote Koshi river in the lush Nepali Himalayas and then continued on to the border.

The night was spent in Zhangmu at the Hotel Zhangmu, the nicest hotel in the city where, thankfully, the rooms had beds and attached bathrooms.

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June 7-8  -- Zhangmu - Saga
On June 7 morning while the agents and volunteers cleared customs for the yatris, we had a beautiful satsang in the lobby of Hotel Zhangmu, and then departed into the Tibetan mountains and plateaus.

	(left): Satsang in the hotel Zhangmu  (right): filling up at a new gas station. Earlier, all gas had to be carried

After Nyalam we stopped at the sacred place of Milarapa's cave. Milarapa was one of the most famous and enlightened Tantric masters and he performed his meditations and sadhana here. We walked down several hundred meters into the cave which lies on the edge of a mountain. Inside the cave Pujya Swamiji spoke about Milarapa, his history and his message. Then, Sadhvi Bhagwati led a meditation, there in the spot where Milarapa himself had meditated. The energy and sacred vibrations were palpable.

	Clockwise from top: meditation in Milarapa's cave; Tibetan women living near the cave; view of Milarapa's cave

 

We continued on from Milarapa's cave to the edge of Lake Pigosto, a huge beautiful sparkling lake that lies between Nyalam and Saga. On the 7th evening we camped at the lake and departed on the 8th morning for Saga.

 

Along the way each day we stopped for hot lunch in beautiful locations along rivers or streams. Weather permitting, we all sat outside, in the clear, crisp mountain sun.

	Enjoying lunch on the river bank

On July 8 we reached to Saga, a small town lying on the Brahmaputra river. Pujya Swamiji, who is world famous for leading Divine Ganga Aarti each evening, and who has started Aarti in Badrinath, Rudra Prayag, Allahabad and Kanpur, decided that -- being so close to this sacred river, this river that is the Mother of so many of India's rivers -- we must perform Her aarti. Hence, we set up a full, beautiful aarti, complete with sound system, speakers, and aartis brought from Rishikesh. Led by Pujya Swamiji, Sadhvi Abha Saraswatiji, Rajubhai Joshi and our divine rishikumars, all yatris sang along to the Divine Aarti as well as Hanuman Chalisa and sankirtan.

After the aarti, Sadhvi Bhagwati led meditation and Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa one of the world's most famous Kundalini Yoga teachers spoke beautiful words on maintaining one's peace, joy, health and gratitude during the challenges of the yatra.

	Aarti on the banks of the Brahmaputra river

 

 

 

	Yatris pray and chant on the banks of the Brahmaputra river, at the aarti

 

	Devotees pray and meditate while sankirtan is sung

 

	As Pujya Swamiji sings on the banks of the Brahmaputra (right), all yatris pray, sing and are carried to divine realms.

 

	Pujya Swamiji and the rishikumars show the Tibetans how to perform aarti

 

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June 9 -- Prayang
 
We left Saga in the morning of June 9, stopping at Brahmaputra river to offer our pranams and take achana. The drive which we had expected to take 7-8 hours was completed in only about 5 hours due to great improvement in the roads and the addition of bridges where previously one had had to drive through a river!

 

	Neeraj Nathwani receives blessings and sweets on his birthday;  Michael O'Neil relaxes on the riverbank

 

 

When we reached Paryang, it was truly a homecoming. We were greeted by the sign of "Welcome to the Parmarth Kailash Mansarovar Ashram - Prayang, built by India Heritage Research Foundation" and a beautiful picture of Pujya Swamiji.

Norbu, the Tibetan who had built the ashram under Pujya Swamiji's guidance and leadership, received much praise and adulation for his great work. The rooms are beautiful with high quality sheets, linens and furniture. Everyone also enjoyed hot showers in nice, indoor shower stalls.

For the official inauguration program the local military and village leaders came (see above for details in section on Paryang ashram). 

Prayang Ashram is officially opened. Gurmukh and Nishit Kotecha untie the ribbon with Pujya Swamiji

Pujya Swamiji stands with rishikumars, sevaks and yatris outside at the ashram

	Local heads of government and military as well as the school principal came to offer their respects in the form of the traditional Tibetan white shawls with which they garlanded Pujya Swamiji and the other revered saints

 

Shri Hasubhai Shah, President of IHRF in USA
addresses the gathering at the official Paryang opening ceremony
 

	Pujya Swamiji distributed sweets and bindis to all the children. We learned on our last yatra that even more than chocolate the Tibetan children love bindis! They giggled sweetly and shyly as He blessed them all.

The line got longer and longer as all the village children came to know that there was a Divine Saint distributing blessings, sweets and bindis at the Parmarth ashram. Men, women and children all lined up to receive the gifts.

The next morning prior to departure for Mansarovar, we visited the local school where we brought  huge bag fulls of pens and notebooks as well as enough biscuits and sweets to keep the students smiling. Gurmukh and Gurushabd had brought hundreds and hundreds of pens all the way from Los Angeles to distribute to these children, and so many other yatris brought supplies and goodies.

Pujya Swamiji has pledged His support for the school. Many people also came forward to offer help. Michael O'Neill our divine photographer pledged to provide a full year's worth of medicine and medical aid to the children. 

 

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June 10-12 -- Mansarovar
We reached the holy land of Mansarovar on the evening of June 10, having departed from Paryang in the morning. After several days of driving through the never-ending plains and valleys of the Tibetan plateau, one begins to imagine that there is nothing else. All of one's reality, all of one's vision, all of one's expectations become simply valley after valley, mountain after mountain and dirt roads leading nowhere. The mountains lead into more mountains, the peaks lead into valleys and the valleys lead into peaks. But everywhere there is nothing but desolation and barren land; occasional scattered herds of sheep and yak sprinkle the landscape, and one may catch a glimpse of a Tibetan woman rounding up the herd or tending to other work, but always hiding her face shyly from one's view.