The Mystery of the Kailash Trail - Chapter 10 - Part 5

Book 2: Chapter 10: Part 5:  For those whom Kang Renpoche would call out to...  

Master Ang Tsering of the Gyangdrak Gompa spoke to the gathering of the curious, the faithful and the travelers, “We would perhaps have to move in to the Beyul and ensure that we are able to bring our friends back from the secret and unexplored valleys. We would need to be patient in exploring the questions and may need to be cautious in enquiring into what we see in these magical valleys. There may be incidents that we see, and do not understand. It may not be necessary for us to go into these events and try to understand what we are not ready to.”

Vijay Kulkarni listened to all the stories and theories that the senior monks were discussing. For him, it was getting to be more and more exciting. This is what he had come in search of. To understand the power of the Mount Kailash and its neighbouring mountains and to figure out the means by which the mightiest of rivers were born in these regions. There were many, the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra and the Mekong among the very few. These were the mightiest. There were rivers that went up towards the Caspian Sea and the Dead Sea, and those that went towards Afghanistan. Nobody spoke about those rivers. There were many rivers that went away from Tibet and into China. These were not commonly known.

“Did the ancients know about the secrets of the birth of the rivers?” Vijay asked, “For then, it would be one of the most important aspects of knowledge for this world at this time. We are fighting all over the world, killing nations and communities, for control over water. What do those ancient books, parchments and the sketches talk about? It cannot be that the secrets of the Mount Kailash are just hidden away in these few documents. There must be some more documents and some other places where they could be stored. Do these documents mention any more?”

The senior monk, Loga of the Kla-Chu, of the Chiu Gompa said, “Brother, have patience. These are the secrets of centuries. Let us go about trying to unravel them, but cautiously. We need to know why they have been retained as secrets. There is wisdom, always, in the aspects of ancient knowledge. The way of the ancients were to hide the most precious in open sight, but with language that one would not easily understand. We need to read these documents again and again before we are able to determine what they actually mean and what they actually intend.”

Master Ang Tsering, in agreement, said, “Brother, my senior from the Chiu Gompa is correct. However, I agree with you that we should try to find out more about these secret places and the reasons why they have been kept a secret. Meanwhile, we should hurry and send out another group from amongst us, to enter the secret Beyul, and bring out our friends who have gone inside, trusting us. Let us organise the group first.”

Brother Tameng stood up and bowed in respect to the senior monks, and offered, “I would like to go, for I have been there before, and I know that it is a peaceful valley. But, I would like to place one condition for those who would wish to come with me. They may accompany me, but would need to keep their cameras behind. For these are precious regions, and most sacred. I would not like these places to be destroyed by wandering tourists and ill-informed pilgrims. Let those who would wish to accompany us, get ready to journey to this most beautiful valley that I have ever had the blessings to visit and to see.”

Brother Sonam Sangye from Nalanda in India said, “It is an important journey. But, I have come here to offer my homage and prayers to the sacred Kang Renpoche, and I would only restrict myself to such a task. I would stay back.” Hearing him declare thus, Sardar Amarpal Singh, the Sikh from Punjab in India, knowing the Brother to be wise, said, “I would also stay back. I need to meditate upon the sacred Mount Kailash and seek the blessings upon my faith. This is indeed a magical place and we are truly blessed to know that all devotees are alike in their journey to seek more knowledge about their faith, as I would be unto mine. I would like to, with your permission, stay back at Gyangdrak Gompa as long as I am allowed to do so.”

Happy to hear the Sikh declare that he would stay back at the Gyangdrak Gompa, the policeman from Shiquanhe said, “If they stay, it is that simple, then I would stay back. I am not sure about this strange devotee from India. He keeps insisting upon climbing the Kang Renpoche, and I cannot allow that sort of behaviour. But, I like him and his simplicity. So, I shall stay with him and make sure that he does not land into any mischief that would result in punishment.”

Loga of the Kla-Chu, the senior monk from the Chiu Gompa said, “I shall go until Dirapuk and wait there to know about the fate of our brothers who have entered the secret Beyul. And, when they would return, I would like to offer some prayers and apologies to the guardians of these valleys and the Beyuls.” Brother Shedrub Repa and the two brother monks from the Choku Gompa sat silently, for it was not in their position to speak. Master Ang Tsering announced, “I shall accompany my brother, Loga of the Kla-Chu to Dirapuk and will wait with him at the monastery. It is with great excitement that I want to go until the entrance to the secret Beyul.”

Norbu looked up at Brother Tameng and nodded in happiness and went up to stand alongside the monk from the Choku Gompa. They had gone inside the secret valley and they would easily do so, again. He was keen to go with Brother Tameng. The vegetarian cook from Gujarat, Hariram Maharaj stood up and went to stand by Norbu. He was now employed by Norbu’s parents and it was his duty to be alongside the young and courageous boy. This would be a great adventure, he thought. It was a pity that he could not share these stories with other pilgrims from Gujarat, he spoke to himself.

Vijay Kulkarni looked at the senior monk, Loga of the Kla-Chu, who nodded in agreement. Yes. He could go to the secret Beyul. It was to be a quiet journey, for they did not want to alarm the policeman from Shiquanhe. They were lucky that the Han Chinese had his eyes only on the Sikh pilgrim from India. Brother Tameng said, “It is decided then that I shall return to the secret valley. We have already sent yaks, horses and supplies that must be arriving at Dirapuk by now. If we walk from here, we will reach Dirapuk within some time. Let us start early in the morning, tomorrow, and we will be there just after post-noon, if we ride on horses and mules.”

At a glance from Master Ang Tsering, the monk from Nalanda stood up and announced that he was tired and would like to go to the prayer room to meditate upon the Most Enlightened One. In similar understanding, the Sikh pilgrim from Punjab, Sardar Amarpal Singh also announced that he would like to go up to the roof of the Gyangdrak Gompa and meditate upon the Mount Kailash. Alarmed at this, Shenshe, the policeman from Shiquanhe, also stood up and accompanied the Sikh pilgrim. Sangye, the monk from Nalanda, smiled and bowed to the group, and said, “It is said that those also serve, those who do not read, and those who do not teach. These are the mysterious ways of the Most Enlightened One, and there is a purpose to each and all.”

After the policeman had left the room, Master Ang Tsering announced, “It is fine that we would leave on the journey tomorrow morning, but we are wasting time until then. Let Brother Shedrub Repa and the two young monks from Choku Gompa travel now. From Gyangdrak to Choku. They will inform about the progress to the senior monks and will bring us some food and drinks when we are on our way tomorrow. They can also bring us any news about developments if there are any. Brothers, please get on your way, and reach safe at Choku by nightfall.”

Loga of the Kla-Chu interrupted, “I was reading this document again, and there is a sketch here that has faded through the years. I can only make out some of the details. There seems to be a sketch of a yak, a man and a wolf, but the artist seems to have thought that this is that of a man with his domestic yak and his Tibetan mastiff. But, as I see it in close attention, I can understand that the artist has been told an ancient story and he has taken the perspectives from life as he would have known to exist at Tibet during those times.”

“The page in front of this sketch explains a strange story,” he continued, “for, it says, that those who would move out of the kora, will not reach any place, for it is the Kang Renpoche that is to be sought and none else. But, there are ancients who travel to arrive at the sacred valley, as it is written here, for whom the summons goes out from the sacred mountain itself. HE decides as to when you may arrive, and HE calls out to you. It is thus that there would be, as is written here, some pilgrims who would come to the Kang Renpoche, but would not return, ever.”