Day 6 :: THURSDAY 20 Aug 2015 >>> Lha Tse to Saga !!

After Guru Puja, we left at 0715, an early start from Lha Tse to our next destination Saga. Distance of around 360 kms, with a plan to reach by 1800 hrs. The anticipated highlight of the day was the likelihood of meeting Sadhguru enroute to Saga.

Left early as we had heard that there could be a road blockade for some construction work and hence the need to cross a particular point before the road blockade kicks in. Stopped at around 0830 for a packed breakfast of Bananas, Toasted bread and honey, Porridge.

At around 1000 we were told that Sadhguru would be meeting us enroute at around 1100. Found a nice spot among the hills where there was a fair bit of plain ground, parked all 4 buses and the 2 pilot vehicles and cleared up the ground of a few stones  for all to sit and for Sadhguru’s seat /couch to be placed. And waited for Sadhguru’s arrival.

Waiting for Sadhguru's arrival

Sadhguru arrived driving a white Land Cruiser @ 1125 and spent around 70 mins with us till 1235.

He chanted and asked us to follow… “Shivaya …Parameshwaraya….

Shivaya Parameshwaraya Shashi Shekaraya Namah Aum
Bhavaya Guna Sambhavaya Shiva Tandavaya Namah Aum
Shivaya Parameshwaraya Chandrashekaraya Namah Aum

Chant the name of Lord Shiva, the one who dispels the fear of the materialistic world, the one who adorns the crescent shaped moon on HIS head and performs the Cosmic dance  

He talked about how this Kailash Manasarovar journey has been going on for almost 12000 years and how this year it was almost a near miss due to visa restrictions etc. Only the MEA group thru the newly opened nathu La pass route and the lone private group from Isha had the good fortune of making it, thanks to active support from the Ministry of External Affairs.

He talked of how people from South India used to make the loooong trek on foot with nothing more than possibly a woolen blanket and a stick but with passion in their hearts. Many sure that they would probably not ever return. This is a land that Shiva has roamed freely and is truly blessed.

Mentioned about Padmasambhava  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padmasambhava) and how he had adopted a lot of Hindu rituals and Tantra into Buddhism. Talked about Milarepa and his teacher Marpa the translator. (http://www.thranguhk.org/buddhism/en_milarepa.html) . Sadhguru also spoke about “immurement” and the Jain practice of Santhara / Sallekhana  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sallekhana

How should we be at Mt kailash : Every breath and every step with SHIVA, open oneself totally to allow Shiva to seep into your every pore / cell. Don’t go as a tourist but as a passionate devotee, allowing the repository of knowledge to seep into you, to be transformed!! You can come back from Kailash either untouched or transformed. The choice is yours!! Don’t bring back water from Manasarovar but only from Mt Kailash. Pls don’t bring back stones / rocks from Kailash !! Sadhguru wished us all a great experience and by then the photography team landed at the site and clicked a photo of the group with Sadhguru. Sadhguru left at 1235 towards Lha Tse.

We had a quick lunch after Sadhguru left and then proceeded towards Saga. Reached Saga by 1730. The higher altitude at Saga  approx 15300 ft above MSL (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga,_Tibet) affected a few of us and we had a medical check at Saga. For a few of us, the Diamox dosage was raised to a full tablet of 250 mg and lots more water to be drunk. 

Saga is an important military base for China and hence we were warned not to take any photos outside the hotel or even peep out of the hotel windows overlooking the military barracks. 

We were told to retire early for the night and gear up for a probable early start at 0500 hrs. Later on that night the revised schedule was put up which mentioned the departure time as a more sedate 0730. The next days travel was to be a longish one from Saga all the way to Manasarovar around 480 kms away.