Darchen. TheGateway to Mt. Kailash
Trip Start
Aug 19, 2006
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13
21
Trip End
Sep 13, 2006
Darchen,
China
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
We begin our 160 km journey to Darchen via Qihu by bus. We leave the Taklakot camp early in the morning. It is very cold in the open. Sky is cloudy with small or large openings of blue sky here and there. The route passes through barren landscape crowned with snow capped mountain ranges in the horizon.
For some time we drive on Lhasa motor road in Purang Valley of River Karnali. We pass through agricultural fields and patches of Salix, planted in this valley with the help of network of canal or guls drawing water from the Karnali. We move along the rolling high grounds of over 4000 m. Gurla Mandhata and its associate snow peaks accompany us on our right hand side. They seem to be at a touching distance and look stunted under the vastness of the blue sky. The apparent height of the snowy peaks is lost in the raised height of the table land
Darchen
. Men and machines are at work constructing the Lhasa-Karrakoram highway. At present alongside Lhasa road there are many trails running parallel to each other. At places bus seem to make a new road for itself. The journey is therefore, rough and uncomfortable ordeal for long stretches. The bus however, is good and absorbs major part of the shocks it receives without passing it on to us. After a while we suddenly come face to face with a huge Lake on our left immediately after crossing over Gurla-la, a pass in the Mandhata range at 16,200 ft. This is Rakshas-Tal, our first stopover after long passage of time. We stretch out and explore the lake for a while. After a short drive further we have the first glimpse of Holy Lake Mansarovar. One can have a glorious panoramic view of both the lakes along with Mount Kailash far in the north and Mandhata in the south from the top of Gurla pass. We now drive in between these two lakes, pass through Ganga-Chu and finally reach Qihu.
Ganga-Chu
It is a narrow well defined natural channel connecting Mansarovar with Rakshas-tal. It is about 40 to 100 ft. wide and about 10 km. long on east-west direction of its winding course. This is the only outlet through which the spillover of Mansarovar water flows into Rakshas-tal. This region is also known for golden sand, precious stones, gems and coral. There are hot water springs too in this channel. Presently the channel is dry but it becomes a river as the snow starts melting in spring.
Rakshas-tal
Rakshas-tal, (140 square miles in extent), is bigger in size than Mansarovar and remarkably beautiful in its own right
Mt kailash
. However, it is not so revered by Hindus as is Mansarovar. According to Hindu mythology, Ravana, the great king of Lanka, meditated and did penance for a thousand years on the shores of Rakshas-tal to seek favours from Lord Shiva. It is therefore, referred to as Ravana-tal also. It receives water from mount Kailash as also from Mansarovar through Ganga-Chu. There is a monastery on the shores of this lake. Qihu
It is a monastery situated on the edge of the northern bank of the Mansarovar and offers stunning view of the holy lake. Here we stop for some time. The northern bank of the lake starts here in the ridge of high grounds rising vertically from the water edge extending 6-7 km. We can see over 50 m perpendicular bald rocky face of the bank from the monastery. At many places the face of the rock is over 100 m high. The Monastery has several rooms and is well equipped for the comfort of the pilgrims. We enjoy, for a while, the beautiful view of the landscape, the gentle ripples of the lake softly striking the rocky shore and the delicate flight of snow-white ducks and a gull over the lake. Some of us take a quick dip in a very secluded area especially meant for meditation.
Parkha Plains
As we move on we leave behind Lake Mansarovar and enter into of the holy land under the shadows of Gurla-Mandhata. At Parkha/ Barkha (15050 ft) we leave the Lhasa road and turn north-west to Darchen. We drive through the vast Parkha plains with extensive pasturelands between the slopes of mount Kailash and Rakshas-Tal
Sunset at Darchen
. These are the grazing grounds for cattle of the nomadic tribes. If the wind were wafting towards us, we could be able to hear the faint sound of cattle bells or resonant barking of ferocious dogs accompanying the herd. Here thousands of sheep, goats, ponies and yaks graze during summer. These meadows are dotted all over with serpentine trade routes, animal trails and crisscrossed by snow fed swift flowing streams. There does not seem to be any land-mark to refer to if lost in the vastness of a magnificent timeless desolation. Many swamps are also there alongside the streams or in isolation in the meadows in which a stray traveller may be lost unless well conversant with the topography of the area. Wild animals like ibex, goa, musk deer, wild asses, and rabbits, mountain rotund, etc may also be encountered in these areas.As we approach Dharchen we have a marvellous view of snow-capped mount Kailash slowly rising out of the clouds. We reach Dharchen towards evening. The name Dharchen is derived from: 'Dhar' means Dwaja and 'Chen' means flag i.e. big flag or mahadhwaja; named after the flag-staff raised in honour of lord Buddha on the western side of Kailash about 5 km from here. The sun, after a day long journey, blessing all with energy and light, is about an hour away from setting. The clouds have retreated towards the horizon, with few still floating lazily up in the sky. Entire landscape shines in the gaze of the sun. Air is crisp and icy cool. The body in the open is benumbed by the freezing chill. Snows glow rapturously in golden warmth of the sun and slowly turn silvery white as it begins to set. When the sun hides behind the horizon the western sky is ablaze with riot of colours, and entire northern horizon glows with pink hue which eventually turns into grey -- a phenomenal display of sunset. Indeed a glorious sight which is a visual delight. What a beautiful way to welcome us here at Darchen; the gateway to holy mount Kailash.
Dharchen
Dharchen is a small busy settlement. Traditionally it has a big sheep-shearing station. An expansive open barren flat land of the Parkha plains is stretched before it. A small river, Tarchen-chu also known as Uma-chu, rising in Kailash, makes its way through the town. Into this stream flows the dirt of the town. One can not fail to notice the glass beer bottles, empty cans and plastic littered all over the rocky terrain and on either side of the stream. There are shops from where basic items of daily use can be had. ISD facility is also available here. An electric generating set provides light in the camp hostels for about three to four hours. There is a school for Tibetan children. Toyota taxis too are available here. They are quite expensive but provide facilities to the needy pilgrims.
Enough accommodation is available here in the newly constructed tourist hostels but with rudimentary toilet facility similar to the one we saw in Taklakot. The hostel is neat, has small cubicles equipped with comforters and accommodates four yatris. We are not the only party of pilgrims here. There are many others too. Hardly have we settled that we are hemmed in by the Tibetan women accompanied by their children to sell their merchandise of semi-precious stone garlands, statue of Buddha and so on. Groups of four or five women clad in traditional attire happily mingle and rub shoulder with the yatris, behave naughty at times, and generally make a lot of noise in their language. They cajole, pester, bargain and play every trick of the trade to sell and do not leave until you have bought some of the items. They were visible on all the days we stay in Darchen and are familiar figure here.
A most tiring bus journey on the 11th day of our yatra now comes to an end.
