Tanushree Dutta loves to travel. The actress leaves the 5-star hotels behind and shares her experience of her recent trip to Kailash-Mansarowar with Rohit Pramar
From work to my personal trips; I travel a lot. I have travelled to so many places around the world. But, there is something special about Kailash-Mansarowar.
Kailash is considered to be a sacred place and Lord Shiva’s devotees visit Kailash from all over the world. The place has a different vibe to it. I went with a group of 150 people and the trip was a part of Isha Yoga Centre, under the guidance of Shri Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev.
It was a mixture of a spiritual journey as well as an adventure for me. We went there via Delhi-Kathmandu-Tibet. You must carry a valid passport to enter Tibet and you need a visa too. So, make sure you have that in order.
We stayed in Kathmandu for two nights and that was enough time to visit the various temples it’s famous for. We then drove to Mansarowar and on the way, we stayed at Nyalam, Saga and Paryang for one night each. You need at least 15 days to make this trip worthwhile. From food to stay, it’s best to have everything pre-arranged. We were on a strict diet for spiritual purposes, but we did sample local cuisines whenever we could. The place is at a high altitude so it’s very important that you eat hot food.
There are some places where you won’t find anything and you will have to stay in tents. We didn’t have toilets and there were no bushes we could hide behind either. Moreover, the cold temperature makes it even harder to go out in the open. Because of the high altitude you’re supposed to drink a lot of water, but if we drank a lot we would often want to use the toilet. We used to laugh about our predicament.
Mansarowar was a little freakish though. It was funny (and strange) how all of us would wake up exactly at 2am and find each other awake in the tent. Some people used to even hear voices outside. Kailash, on the other hand, was very sacred and calming.
We went on treks to Diraphuk but not the whole of Kailash Parikrama as many people do. Because of the high altitude, the treks are even more difficult. So, don’t push yourself and hire a pony instead.
This kind of trip should always be made in a group. The more the merrier and safer it is. Some people fell sick during the trip and it was only the medical experts in our group who stopped it from getting worse. So, have at least one professional medical expert who knows how to deal with health issues at such extreme altitudes and temperatures.
For years yogis have walked up to Kailash Parbat to do their Sandhana and we too meditated there. The place has some sort of mystical energy embedded in it. Other times when I have traveled, I have always stayed at 5-star hotels and there I was in the middle of nowhere with the barest necessities. Yet, the trip was overwhelming. It had a profound effect on my mind and body. It’s definitely worth a visit.
Visa & documentation: Foreigners including Indians require a visa to enter Tibet. One must be in possession of a valid passport for six months to get a Chinese visa.
Accommodation: It is in the most remote part of world. Guest house accommodation, wherever available, is very simple with warm dormitory-style rooms with common bathrooms and toilets.
Clothing: Tibet is a dry cold country and the weather is unpredictable. Plan your clothing in a way that you can wear layers of clothes. According to the season, plan your wardrobe.
Toiletries & accessories: Carry soap, towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, comb, sanitary protection and toilet paper roll with you. You should also pack empty plastic bags, a flashlight, sun block and lip balm.