page 264: A pinch of sand in Indra's heaven

We had already crossed 5 challenging mountain passes namely Fagune(4050m),

Purwanga(4350m), Purwanga Paanidhaal(4550m), highest camp of Naangdalo(4800m), and
Naangdalo (5350m). These passes are scary and very difficult to cross. The heart
beat rises exponentially which makes very difficult to even breathe while ascending
on these passes. Some of the passes we crossed are just 100m shorter than Thorang
pass(5450m) of Annapurna area and 200m shorter than KaaLaaPatthar pass(5550m) of
Sagarmatha area. We were happy for we did not become sick. Its normal to be tired
and as hot as flame of fire because of fatigue.

We ate by adding sugar to Champaa and salt to the tea. "Road is uphill. High passes
are yet to be crossed. Eat more.", saying this Gyaljen convinced us to eat. We
calculated the cost of food and shelter. He didnot charge for the tea. I gave him
my mobile as well as telephone number by saying 'Contact me when you come to
Kathmandu and we will stay together for a night in my house'. Took some pictures
and headed towards eastern valley via the courtyard of the gumba. The journey that
day was long and difficult.

The north-western slope on the way to Saldang from Shey-gumba looked light green
because of thorny bushes. Because the grass grows up in the nooks and corners of
bush, those slopes are appropriate for grazing Naauur, sheep, Chyangra, yak and
horse. Many groups of Naaur, and snow leopard amble around the Shey-gumba area.

Naaur i.e blue sheep is a sort of sheep or goat. This is found from Mustang to
Humla of the himalayan areas and Tibet. I had seen about 6 to 10 herds of Naaur,
and himalayan piegon untill I reached Sagarmatha base camp from Tibetan side.
George B. Schallar has mentioned after a deep study of Naaur that some
characteristics of Nauur match with those of sheep while some other with goats. The
horns of He-Naaur are thicker and more curly than those of sheeps and goats. The
He-Nauur makes itself ready to fight with others by doing what the He-goats do.

Peter and he had seen Tibetan wolf, golden vulture, and only the footprint of the
snow-leopard. They guessed that the snow-leopard might have gone around the shey-
area twice.This area is full of the steepy lawns where the wild animals can graze
easily. We had seen just the Himalayan crow in clear blue sky, and white vulture in
Syangkhola.

We moved along the uphill and horizontal roads.Big flag, and Chortens made up of
stone, big walls, stones engraved with mantras inside the walls, the bushes of
Kaaraagaanaa, bunch of himalayan flowers, and yak's chanwar were always in a ready
position to welcome us before we started climbing mountain or descend to the
ravines. At that time, I used to feel that Nepal is very beautiful and delightful.

Like the Janaki temple in Janaakpur, there are Chortens, walls engraved with
mantras, and attractive monasteries at the peaks of the cliffs, in the himalayan
region. The history of these engraved walls is related with Saldang, NaamGung,
Shey-monastery and buddhism. Engraved walls that are the historical heritages are
waiting to get love from their descendants by blessing them. We never became poor
in art, culture and natural gifts. We were poor just in the mindset. Likewise, we
crossed various such cliffs and passes. While we were walking at the altitude of
4500m, the yaks and horses were grazing near the mountain top much higher from us.
When the horses and yaks waved their tails, it would seem like they worked as a
sort of fan for himalayan crow and clear blue sky.

After the area of Kaaragana bushes finished, we headed towards north via the ravine
inside the lap of two high mountains. The sky looked narrower than the courtyard.
In the hillocks far away, 1 foot high red bushes could be seen in some places.
Those red bushes used to make us excited to climb the puffy, rough and dull
mountain. Nothing other than cliffs of sedimentary rocks, mountain of pebbles, and
hanging caves in various forms could be seen except the bushes. This is just the
heart which becomes happy around flowers and sad around the rough mountains. The
tired body wanted to take rest when the eyes captured the dull structures but when
we just imagined the Himalayan beauty, the body used to become energetic again.
Unimaginable energy seems to hide behind the beauty. History has become a witnesser
of the kings losing their throne because of falling in love with a beautiful lady.

The length of the step we took in the uphill had become lesser than 4 inches. I
first looked at the road that caused the sky to narrow down. Then I decided not to
look. The heart used to be overwhelmed by fear when we looked at those vertical
roads. when thinking about the long difficult path remaining to traverse, It
becomes difficult to convince the heart and heart beat rate rises. The road is
easily crossed if we walk in our own tune without looking up at scary roads. But I
used to look at them sometimes, after which I used to scold myself. The gradient
descent of the road was low, so the road was not straight vertical.

We reached at the altitude of 4800m. The sky became wide. Another ravine appeared.
Another sandy mound having soil upto just 5% came into view as soon as that ravine
became visible. Lets suppos that mound be a fat man and we had to reach upto the
head of that man.

The narrow vertical roads that looked like the veins of the body were towed towards
the next peak. We climbed up that too. When we reached at the middle of that path,
the snow-capped peaks of Kaanjirowa came into sight towards the south. The higher
we ascended, the narrower would Kanjirowa become.

There were no any patches of cloud at that time. A slope appeard after reaching up
to 5000m. The top part of the waving flag was seen from down. When I guessed that
we reached near the Sela Laa (5100m) which was the main pass we had to cross that
day , the joy flourished across my body like it does in the body of kissing
couples. After the pale white birds bigger than the dove percepted us nearing
towards them, they quickly started ascending on the slope. These birds motivated me
to climb uphill. I experienced that the body suddenly becomes energetic after
seeing those beautiful birds and Nauurs while climbing up.

We reached at Sela pass. We killed the fatigue that was causing the lungs to swell.
Excitement and enthusiasm was added to the heart. The tired body nearer to death
than life used to suddenly become like a young one after reaching to the goal, how
surprising!

Then I myself started to explain that. The wrinkled cheeks soon became young
because we had climbed successfully up to the important pass at the altitude of
5100m. We had already been able to digest the high altitude - both of us had not
suffered even from a headache, which was our achievement. I was testing my own
capacity. We took a rest for sometime after reaching to the peak.

I once looked back at the road we had followed. I could not believe that we had
crossed those scary mountains, and sandy hillocks like the pyramids. Kanjiroa
South(6883m), Kanjirowa North(6289m), Kanjirowa mountain range, Chhokarpo(6058m)
and other snowpeaks looked like they stood together hugging each other.

We had already walked through the eastern lap of North Kaanjirowa glacier 3 days
ago. Although there were rocks, and bare sandy mounds towards the east and west of
Sela, they were so artistic and beautiful that they seemed like the ones carved by
Araniko himself. Guru Padmashambav must have performed a strong penance in Dolpo
regarding it as a peaceful one after seeing those thousands of beautiful artistic
pyramids inside the huge valley.
There was a different sight in the diret north, north-east and north-west of the
peak. The another world of garlands of thousands of tall-short, big-small and long-
short pyramids could be seen in all directions.

I used to feel like i was in the another planet of the universe! There was not a
single layer of snow anywhere except on the sharp and tall pyramid in Tibet. At
that place in the ancient time, There were beautiful golden palaces of lord Shiva,
lord iNDRA and Kuwer. Kailash is still supposed to be the palace of Shiva. All of
those pyramids of sand will be covered by the snow after a month. The mountains in
the far north form the border line between Nepal and China's self-governing area
i.e Tibet. Tibet area looks near from there. On That day, We had to reach upto the
bottom of the mountains seen towards the north because there lies the most
important big village Saldang.

In the valleys around us, there are only mounds, not cliffs. That area is the most
appropriate one to play a very exciting game ski because there are no high and
steepy cliffs. These mounds with a normal steepness can be transformed into the ski
stations like those around Chamonicks in France. If that was done, this place would
be more beautiful and romantic than that in France. The place would also become
world famous for being the highest place in the world where ski can be played. It
would have already turned into reality if the tourism professionals and Nepal
Tourism Board payed a little attention towards this oppurtunity.

Taking the political and economic aid from the government, the farmers and
professionals in Dolpo and Mustang can collaborate with those in the capital and
Pokhara and contrive Short and long term plans. My normal eyes also saw the
possibility of multi-purpose industry of an international level when adjusting the
salt and other minerals, animal husbandry and herbs found there. That, along with
connecting the peoples in Dolpo with those in the capital, will also inspire to
play ski in our own slopes and have a lot of fun.

The upper Dolpo dwellers will be world famous for being adept in the ski game at
very high altitude like the Sherpas are in the mountain climbing. The valley like
this cant be found anywhere else in the whole Nepal. Although there is abundance of
snow in other areas, they are quite steepy, due to which the ski stations cant be
built there. For a moment, I took a taste of that supernatural and unique place.

I again looked around all the directions and kept the panaromic view having
unlimited beauty in my temple of heart. I wrapped myself around the beautiful lap
of mother. How beautiful and tempting is my mother! Is there any other country in
the whole world that can compete with Nepal in natural beauty? The miscellany like
ours in a small area can be found nowhere else. The descendants of nature as
beautiful and tempting as in Nepal are seldom found in other countries. But I am
sad because of my unablity to become as beautiful as my mother.

The wind began to blow faster. Are we allowed to stay for a long time in the
heavenly throne of nature? We arent. We shouldnt. As the sun descends towards the
west, the cold wind starts piercing the heart. If such cold storm finds us, the
beauty there may adorn us in the embrace forever. Thats why it is better to take
leave from that heaven as soon as possible. We ate one/one snicker chocolate and
carried the bags.

I put a pinch of sand on my forhead. I bowed down towards the heathland of

Padmashambav, Indra's heaven, Shangrila of James Hamilton and the atmosphere by
moving around all the directions. I again adorned the precious gift of nature by
keeping inside the pupil of my eyes. I secured the view by keeping that into
another small pouch of the heart. I know, I'll probably never step foot there again
in my life.