Teerathpuri

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Trip Start Aug 19, 2006 Previous
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  Darchen, China
Friday, September 1, 2006

September arrives with a golden dawn and beautiful clear skies.  Teerathpuri is nearly 70 km north-west of Darchen. We hire Toyota land-cruisers. All the way through Parkha plains we drive on a trail amongst many which only the driver knows until we come to Lhasa road. We drive on it for sometime before cutting across it to enter a deep wilderness where sweet and fragrant tiny flowers grow everywhere alongside the green grass and juniper like shrub. This is an extensive prairie where we seldom see human figure. It is a sanctuary of wild animals. There is no tree cover but they are there in the open under the sky, fearlessly roaming and enjoying nutritious fodder in the meadows. Water is available aplenty in the valley which also provides shelter to them. We see herds of wild horses (kyang) from very close quarters as they gallop along side our vehicle. This is a rare sight of these glorious beauties in their natural habitat. They are very healthy and their galloping exquisite and fascinating. You can see their shoulder muscles rippling under the rich brown summer coat

Idol in Teerathpuri Gompa

. They cross over to safety and are lost once more in the wilderness far away from prying human eyes, slowly walking in peace, wagging their tail and looking back from time to time to see the strangers they had a close encounter. It was very exciting and delightful experience. We lost a priceless photo opportunity it presented as the driver didn't stop the vehicle. In all we sighted four herds each of seven to eight horses. Kyang are very common and have most conspicuous presence here and elsewhere in Tibet. Their summer coat is shining brown-red while their limbs and muzzle below are florescent white. The tufts of tail and mane are brownish-black. We also see two herds of Tibetan-antelopes/chus (Kemas Hodgsoni) in flight. We realize that we are not alone in this wilderness. We have beautiful animals and pretty flowers for our company.
 
This looks like a virgin land, wild and remote. Here nature is at work quietly and nature helps life to endure these extreme conditions. I wonder at times whether in a decade or two from now, we will see such wilderness as it exists here today. I really enjoyed this long drive through the table land which once was an ancient ocean.
 
Teerathpuri monastery is situated on the right bank of the River Satlej. It is very old monastery. The source of the River Satlej is about 20 km from this monastery and it is merely a brook springing from the marshes. Teerathpuri was once part of Hemmis Gompa of Ladakh, is now part of Simbling Gompa of Taklakot. There is a heap of horns and tarchok (flags) behind the Gompa which represents Dolma. There are hot water springs by the side of the river about 300 meters away from the monastery. We bathe in the spring and feel very relaxed. A Large quantity of ashy deposits of calcium carbonate near these hot water-springs is taken as vibhuti by the pilgrims. According to Hindu mythology, this is the place where demon Bhasmasura did penance to propitiate Lord Shiva and was bestowed with the boon that anything he touched would be reduced to ashes. He became invincible. The terrified gods approached Vishnu for help. Bhasmasura was reduced to ashes by virtue of the same boon he got from the lord of Kailash when unknowingly he touched his forehead with his fingers while dancing with lord Vishnu in guise of a beautiful woman.
 
 On our way back we have a panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges far in the north. As we neared Darchen we have a glorious view of the southern face of mount Kailash.
 
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