Contemplations : Kailash Manasarovar trip 16 Aug – 29 Aug 2015

Just another journey or a journey to the doorstep of another dimension?

If life as we know and experience it today is merely in the physical, did this journey enable a quick peek into another dimension beyond the physical?  The unexplained mystique of Lake Manasarovar, the spiritual significance of Mt Kailash with many “realized” beings having used this space as a storehouse , as a  library of their knowledge. How does a mere mortal being fathom this?

Does ones perceptive ability need to be honed to a far greater degree of consciousness in order to be able to perceive these aspects of Manasarovar and Kailash?

Possibly it is only then will the yatra cease to be just a holiday trek in high altitudes and turn into a real journey within and without. To touch another dimension beyond the physical.

Was I sufficiently willing and open? Did that enable even a bit of the mystique and spirituality of Manasarovar and Kailash to seep into me?  Shambho !! Shambho !!!

Even today, travel to this space is so very comfortable and reassuring compared to the times of the earlier years. Yes, even today there are a few hardships on account of the lack of convenient toilets, hot water, high altitude acclimatization etc. But we have electricity, solar power, wi-fi connectivity, proper roads and highways and now also rail lines !! As time goes by, one would not be surprised if the Chinese rail line were to extend right upto Manasarovar. From 2014 onwards the railway line has already come up to Shigatse.

While travel to Manasarovar may possibly become as easy as a train ride, will it take away from the rigours of the travels of the yatris? Will it dilute the mystique of the space? Only time will tell.

For tens of thousands of years, yatris from India have made the trip on foot, with all kinds of hardships. With nothing more than a woolen blanket possibly, with no Diamox, they single mindedly trekked up there. They possibly made themselves ready for the high altitude with proper exercises and pranayama. In the process breaking down all identity of their self and remaining utterly open and willing to receive grace when they reached Manasarovar and Mt Kailash.

With modern development comes convenience. And with convenience comes the reduced significance of things mystical. Will a trip to Mt Kailash be as simple as a trip to the Las Vegas strip?

See excerpts in italics:

Pls see this link : http://www.tibettravel.org/qinghai-tibet-railway/scenery.html

Lhasa railway station

Tunnelling through to T A R 

Lhasa Station

The Qinghai–Tibet railway, Qinghai–Xizang railway or Qingzang railway   is a high-elevation railway that connects Xining, Qinghai Province, to Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, in the People's Republic of China. The length of the railway is 1,956 km (1,215 mi). Construction of the 815 km (506 mi) section between Xining andGolmud was completed by 1984. The 1,142 km (710 mi) section between Golmud and Lhasa was inaugurated on July 1, 2006, by Chinese President Hu Jintao: the first two passenger trains were "Qing 1" (Q1) from Golmud to Lhasa, and "Zang 2" (J2) from Lhasa.[1] This railway is the first to connect the Tibet Autonomous Region to any other province, which, due to its elevation and terrain, is the last province-level entity in mainland China to have a railway. Testing of the line and equipment started on 1 May 2006.[2] Passenger trains run from Beijing, Chengdu,Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Xining, and Lanzhou.

The line includes the Tanggula Pass, which, at 5,072 m (16,640 feet) above sea level, is the world's highest railway. Tanggula railway station at 5,068 m (16,627 feet) 33°00′18.50″N 91°38′57.70″E is the world's highest railway station. 1,338 m (4,390 ft) Fenghuoshan tunnel is the highest rail tunnel in the world at 4,905 m (16,093 ft) above sea level. The 4,010 m (13,160 ft) New Guanjiao Tunnel is the longest tunnel and the culminating point 3,700 metres (12,100 ft)[4] between Xining and Golmud and 3,345 m (10,974 ft). Yangbajing tunnel is the longest tunnel between Golmud and Lhasa. More than 960 km (600 mi), over 80% of the Golmud-Lhasa section, is at an elevation of more than 4,000 m (13,123 ft). There are 675 bridges, totalling 159.88 km (99.34 mi); about 550 km (340 mi) is laid on permafrost.

On August 17, 2008, a railway spokesman confirmed plans to add six more rail lines connecting to the Qinghai-Tibet railway, including from Lhasa to Nyingchi and from Lhasa to Shigatse, both in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Three lines will originate from Golmud in Qinghai province and run to Chengdu in Sichuan province, Dunhuang in Gansu province, andKorla of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The sixth will link Xining, the capital of Qinghai, with Zhangye in Gansu. The six lines are expected to be in operation before 2020.

Construction work of the Lhasa–Shigatse extension began on September 26, 2010. The length of the Lhasa Xigatse / Shigatse railway is 253 km (157 mi).The construction started in September 2010 and was completed in July 2014. The line was formally opened in August 2014

Lhasa – Shigatse railway, with a total length of 251 km, and total investment 13.28 billion yuan, the railway is located in the southwest of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Tibet Autonomous Region. Maximum operating speed is 120 km per hour with more than 8.3 million tons of cargo per year.

The train from Lhasa to Shigatse follows along the northern friendship highway to Nepal border and it stops at four stations in between, which are Sherong, Chushul, Nyemo and Rinbung.

The train tickets is available to book online from the official China Railway Website (www.12306.cn) so far it is only in Chinese, therefore it is bit difficult for foreign travelers to book the ticket by themselves. The train time table as below;

Train No.	From / To	ETD	ETA	Time Taken	Soft Sleeper	Hard Sleeper	Hard Seat
K9821	Lhasa/Shigatse	09:00	11:59	02:59	CNY175.5	CNY116.5	CNY40.5
Note: accordingly numbers of passengers and season, the railway administration adjust the train, sometimes there are two trains in the morning. CNY refer to Chinese Yuan