8142019 Moving Mountains - Action Asia Magazine

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmoving-mountains-action-asia-magazine 14

A snowy valley in the western Himalayas

the greatest yatras or spiritual journeymake and joining them can be just as upl

Momount

Story and photog

62 India

8142019 Moving Mountains - Action Asia Magazine

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmoving-mountains-action-asia-magazine 24

64

mdash N983151983158983141983149983138983141983154D983141983139983141983149983138983141983154 983090983088983089983091

called chillum bareoot and smilin

as they headed on into the snow

mountain heights (and highs)

here we were a happy mob o

pilgrims transiting the roo o the worl

alone together in the blinding sun an

boundless emptiness As we walkedI spoke to one ater another dritin

along the trail rom group to group So

the walk a mountain adventure or st

prayers and wishes or relatives to be

birth o a grandson For all though

the sum o its parts neither purely a t

kind o itinerant estival a movable ea

when gathered together in its great unr

I walked into the sprawling squa

and wind o the late afernoon settlin

the sum o Rs400 (US$620) rash an

paths o the encampment across th

barbed-wire coils and sandbagged bun

impassively surveying the perimeter o

When night ell the light dying

mountains above us I ventured out to

where the devout served up endless

squatting with metal plates balanced

dal and curried potatoes with hunks oTe night was a kind o happy ma

through the camp and thousands o r

darkness their numbers echoed by th

the crisp mountain air Back in my tent

A HINDU PILGRIMAGE IS OFEN AS MUCH ABOU SOCIOLOGY

as it is religion as much an endurance event as a spiritual practice his is

especially true in Kashmir Standing at the windy exposed pass at Pissu op

3800 metres up these were my reflections as I watched the muddy slope ar

below me teem like a kicked anthill alive with 10000 pilgrims

I was there because I loved India and because there is no route into

Indiarsquos heart ndash huge diverse and unruly ndash more inviting than a pilgrimage

or yatra where the intense emotional energy o the subcontinent is thrown

fiercely into motion A yatra is the spiritual element o the human elevated

to its rapturous extreme and this three-day trek to the ancient Shiva cave

at Amarnath hidden deep in a snow-choked valley in the remote western

Himalaya is considered by many to be its finest and most arduous example

undertaken by more than 600000 people during the Hindu holy month o

Shraavana each summerMany people o course had told me not to go there Political violence

and unrest in Kashmir closed roads and brought paramilitary crackdowns

in 2008 and again in 2010 [there were yet more problems during the

preparation o this article in October 2013] Yet in July 2011 as I walked on

beyond Pissu op and into the gorgeous green alpine river valley beyond

it was not discord that struck me but

instead a great serenity Hindu pilgrims

and Kashmiri Muslim l abourers

alike were processing in their motley

thousands through the valley which

was dotted with scattered grey boulders

crusts o old snow and herds o grazing sheepIn this throng were represented all castes and places and kinds Lawyers

and pensioners rom Delhi and Mumbai jostled with computer programmers

and students and call-centre workers rom Kerala and Gujarat Sufi Muslims

rom the lake town o Srinagar muddy in their long grey tunics were

stoically bearing elderly Hindu pilgrims alof on crude litters made o lawn

chairs rope and bamboo

Above them deep and saturated as the sea was the luminous cobalt o

the sky and beyond them and among them their orange robes like vivid

blazes marking the distance to the ar horizon huge groups o wandering

sadhus hese Hindu holy men were dreadlocked shirtless and emaciated

backs bare to the fierce mountain sun puffing clouds o hashish in clay pipes

64 India

UPLIFTING SETTING

Sunset on the mountains at the end

of the first dayrsquos trek

INDIA

DelhiNEPAL

CHINA

Srinagar

PAKISTAN

Jammu

8142019 Moving Mountains - Action Asia Magazine

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmoving-mountains-action-asia-magazine 34

66

mdash N983151983158983141983149983138983141983154D983141983139983141983149983138983141983154 983090983088983089983091

meagre blanket and sleep came over me like a heavy drug

Early in the rosted morning I went out to see a sadhu perorming Surya

Namaskara the sun salutation acing the coming dawn and bending like a

willow to the ground as the sun broke over the mountains to the east In the

langar tent or breakast I bolted down my morning tea and biscuits and a

group o glassy-eyed boys rom Jammu city took my hand and dragged me

outside where dozens o pilgrims were spontaneously dancing to spiritual

music mixed with some kind o house beat everyone rom bent-backed old

women to schoolchildren clapping and busting a move

It was hard to imagine a more unusual start to a day ndash this whole

itinerant city awake and ecstatic together in the reezing dawn the great

emptiness o the mountains all around us somehow illed and enlarged by

the wild passion o the human beings contained within it I packed up my

things and donned my muddy trekking clothes and began the 700-metrecl imb to the 4270-metre pass at

Mahagunas op the highest point o the

trek more than two hours o slippery

sucking mud ascending the ravaged

mountainside

At the pass the blinding sunlight

glinting o the snow a man approached

me ldquoHe lef his soul here you know Te

saint Bholay Shankar who meditated

there but it is here all around us in th

I blinked at himldquoCanrsquot you eel itrdquo he said to me

around usrdquo

As I descended through the high g

body giddy with oxygen and endorphin

in my mind Indiarsquos penchant or unre

elt nowhere more sharply than here i

Indian military occupation Yet or all

mountains or all the barbed wire an

India66

RAINBOW OF DEVOTIONOn foot or mounted the devout

snake up the hillsides their saris

shirts and scarves vivid against

the dusty track

For all the soldierhere in the mounbarbed wire and neared the holy cremained infectio

laquo

8142019 Moving Mountains - Action Asia Magazine

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmoving-mountains-action-asia-magazine 44

68

mdash N983151983158983141983149983138983141983154D983141983139983141983149983138983141983154 983090983088983089983091

Arriving at last at the steep snowy

valley with the holy cave rising at its ar

end I dropped my pack at its mouth I

was ilthy stinking and unshaven but

ready to make the acquaintance o Lord

Shiva who Irsquod walked so long to reach

I climbed the long stone stairwayto the yawning mouth o the cave lambent in the semi-darkness with music

spilling out into the dusk here the amous stone lingam stood ndash a divine

phallic symbol o the potency o Lord Shiva covered in its mysterious coat o

summer ice I removed my shoes and bareoot walked on with my blistered

eet through the grit and filthy water moving with the mass o chanting and

prostrating pilgrims onwards into the shadowed reaches o the cave

India I was now sure was the perect place or those inclined to wander

a land ready to accept nomads and seekers rom strange tribes as easily as

it embraced the orthodox Moving beore the lingam I bowed and prayed

with those around me carrying inside me all the passion o my co-pilgrims

all the wild beauty o Indias land and its people and their struggles all the

happy wishes and good things in my heart

A minute later one o the temple minders shoved me roughly along and

on my way out an Indian Army soldier smiled and handed me an orange

scar adorned with Shiva mantras Te whole moment which Irsquod walked two

ull days to experience was over in less than five minutes

Outside the cave looking down on the steep narrow valley below the

hal-moon shone on the snow on the peaked roos o the tents and the stars

were bright as Christmas lights I elt at once supremely alone here in thisdistant place and yet equally a part o an ecstatic whole and I thought there

are many experiences here on Earth but truly none like this this nation that

both overwhelms and humbles me I turned and bowed once more and then

headed downhill into the darkness AA

India68

PRACTICALITIES

When to goThe pilgrimage to Amarnath runs for 35 days during the Hindu lunar

month of Shraavana which begins around late June or early J uly on

the Roman calendar Check the official website at wwwshriamarnath-

jishrinecom for precise dates

How to get thereThe trailheads are near the town of Pahalgam (recommended) or at

Baltal Camp on the Leh-Srinagar Highway For either you will first need

to get to Srinagar then proceed by bus or shared jeep to the trailheads

(both between two and three hours) Srinagar is served by regularflights from New Delhi or can be reached overland via a long (10-hour)

bus or jeep ride from the city of Jammu which has the nearest railway

station

What to takeItrsquos muddy and rain or snow can be expected at any time so bring

good shoes warm clothing and rain gear Simple sleeping kit and tents

are cheaply rented in camps along the way and meals are free in the

communal kitchens Bring snacks money and a first aid k it Do not

leave valuables in your tent

Further info You must register beforehand and bring your permit with you to the

trailhead on the designated date In India you can register at major

branches of JampK Bank YES Bank State Bank of India Punjab National

Bank and HDFC Bank For general information check the official websitewwwshriamarnathjishrinecomindexhtml or contact their Help Desk

Many tour operators can help with arranging permits etc The author

used wwwamarnathjicom for example

This last section of the journey wasalso its most treacherous a long slogup a precipitous slope we footboundpilgrims being crushed and jostled

by an endless line of litter-bearersand hire ponies the muddy path onwhich we trod often less than twometres wide

laquo

raquo

cave the atmosphere remained inectiously positive

At the inal security cordon at Panchtarni a soldier with an AK-47

smiled and gave me bandages or my blistered eet then waved me onwards

past the helicopter landing pad where flight afer flight roared loudly past

errying more well-heeled pilgrims to and rom the distant staging camp at

Baltal a day-long walk to the west

As I trekked the inal six kilometres to the holy cave my anticipationpeaked Tis last section o the journey was also its most treacherous a long

slog up a precipitous slope we ootbound pilgrims being crushed and jostled

by an endless line o litter-bearers and hire ponies the muddy path on which

we trod ofen less than two metres wide and slippery in the steady drizzle

THE MANY AND THE ONE

Left A sea of tents lap at the valley

walls at Sheshnag camp Above

A pilgrim proudly shows off hismantricom symbol haircut

MORE HOLY HIKES ANTherersquos a long tradition of pilgrim

or re-creating such a journey can b

spiritual highs alongside more liter

to connect with locals in a meaning

friendliness of much organised lsquocu

In India especially rivers attr

in the case of the Ganges there

of devotion that are among the

anywhere More widely across the

especially those that stand alone

that are the focus

In both the Hindu and Budd

circling these peaks making ako

the Tibetan for lsquocircumambulatio

a stupa or temple too ndash even sim

encounter on many mountain trac

around a whole mountain is obvio

respect It is worth noting at this p

is often frowned upon and in certa

While walking many pilgrims

or prostrate themselves over a

intended to be meditative the re

free the mind to encourage a mor

The classic kora that many

Kailash in western Tibet but ther

are offered on commercial trips Ad

for example offer two routes the

Kora (shown below)

ldquoThe first is arguably the more

of the twordquo says the companyrsquos fo

route is heavily populated with Kh

in the kora season (typically Sepabsolutely spectacular mountain s

devotees en routerdquo

Bottomley is currently plannin

peak Amne Machen in modern-d

hoping to combine a kora with a tr

Anyone drawn to such journ

should take note too that 2014 se

said to be an especially propitious

8142019 Moving Mountains - Action Asia Magazine

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmoving-mountains-action-asia-magazine 24

64

mdash N983151983158983141983149983138983141983154D983141983139983141983149983138983141983154 983090983088983089983091

called chillum bareoot and smilin

as they headed on into the snow

mountain heights (and highs)

here we were a happy mob o

pilgrims transiting the roo o the worl

alone together in the blinding sun an

boundless emptiness As we walkedI spoke to one ater another dritin

along the trail rom group to group So

the walk a mountain adventure or st

prayers and wishes or relatives to be

birth o a grandson For all though

the sum o its parts neither purely a t

kind o itinerant estival a movable ea

when gathered together in its great unr

I walked into the sprawling squa

and wind o the late afernoon settlin

the sum o Rs400 (US$620) rash an

paths o the encampment across th

barbed-wire coils and sandbagged bun

impassively surveying the perimeter o

When night ell the light dying

mountains above us I ventured out to

where the devout served up endless

squatting with metal plates balanced

dal and curried potatoes with hunks oTe night was a kind o happy ma

through the camp and thousands o r

darkness their numbers echoed by th

the crisp mountain air Back in my tent

A HINDU PILGRIMAGE IS OFEN AS MUCH ABOU SOCIOLOGY

as it is religion as much an endurance event as a spiritual practice his is

especially true in Kashmir Standing at the windy exposed pass at Pissu op

3800 metres up these were my reflections as I watched the muddy slope ar

below me teem like a kicked anthill alive with 10000 pilgrims

I was there because I loved India and because there is no route into

Indiarsquos heart ndash huge diverse and unruly ndash more inviting than a pilgrimage

or yatra where the intense emotional energy o the subcontinent is thrown

fiercely into motion A yatra is the spiritual element o the human elevated

to its rapturous extreme and this three-day trek to the ancient Shiva cave

at Amarnath hidden deep in a snow-choked valley in the remote western

Himalaya is considered by many to be its finest and most arduous example

undertaken by more than 600000 people during the Hindu holy month o

Shraavana each summerMany people o course had told me not to go there Political violence

and unrest in Kashmir closed roads and brought paramilitary crackdowns

in 2008 and again in 2010 [there were yet more problems during the

preparation o this article in October 2013] Yet in July 2011 as I walked on

beyond Pissu op and into the gorgeous green alpine river valley beyond

it was not discord that struck me but

instead a great serenity Hindu pilgrims

and Kashmiri Muslim l abourers

alike were processing in their motley

thousands through the valley which

was dotted with scattered grey boulders

crusts o old snow and herds o grazing sheepIn this throng were represented all castes and places and kinds Lawyers

and pensioners rom Delhi and Mumbai jostled with computer programmers

and students and call-centre workers rom Kerala and Gujarat Sufi Muslims

rom the lake town o Srinagar muddy in their long grey tunics were

stoically bearing elderly Hindu pilgrims alof on crude litters made o lawn

chairs rope and bamboo

Above them deep and saturated as the sea was the luminous cobalt o

the sky and beyond them and among them their orange robes like vivid

blazes marking the distance to the ar horizon huge groups o wandering

sadhus hese Hindu holy men were dreadlocked shirtless and emaciated

backs bare to the fierce mountain sun puffing clouds o hashish in clay pipes

64 India

UPLIFTING SETTING

Sunset on the mountains at the end

of the first dayrsquos trek

INDIA

DelhiNEPAL

CHINA

Srinagar

PAKISTAN

Jammu

8142019 Moving Mountains - Action Asia Magazine

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmoving-mountains-action-asia-magazine 34

66

mdash N983151983158983141983149983138983141983154D983141983139983141983149983138983141983154 983090983088983089983091

meagre blanket and sleep came over me like a heavy drug

Early in the rosted morning I went out to see a sadhu perorming Surya

Namaskara the sun salutation acing the coming dawn and bending like a

willow to the ground as the sun broke over the mountains to the east In the

langar tent or breakast I bolted down my morning tea and biscuits and a

group o glassy-eyed boys rom Jammu city took my hand and dragged me

outside where dozens o pilgrims were spontaneously dancing to spiritual

music mixed with some kind o house beat everyone rom bent-backed old

women to schoolchildren clapping and busting a move

It was hard to imagine a more unusual start to a day ndash this whole

itinerant city awake and ecstatic together in the reezing dawn the great

emptiness o the mountains all around us somehow illed and enlarged by

the wild passion o the human beings contained within it I packed up my

things and donned my muddy trekking clothes and began the 700-metrecl imb to the 4270-metre pass at

Mahagunas op the highest point o the

trek more than two hours o slippery

sucking mud ascending the ravaged

mountainside

At the pass the blinding sunlight

glinting o the snow a man approached

me ldquoHe lef his soul here you know Te

saint Bholay Shankar who meditated

there but it is here all around us in th

I blinked at himldquoCanrsquot you eel itrdquo he said to me

around usrdquo

As I descended through the high g

body giddy with oxygen and endorphin

in my mind Indiarsquos penchant or unre

elt nowhere more sharply than here i

Indian military occupation Yet or all

mountains or all the barbed wire an

India66

RAINBOW OF DEVOTIONOn foot or mounted the devout

snake up the hillsides their saris

shirts and scarves vivid against

the dusty track

For all the soldierhere in the mounbarbed wire and neared the holy cremained infectio

laquo

8142019 Moving Mountains - Action Asia Magazine

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmoving-mountains-action-asia-magazine 44

68

mdash N983151983158983141983149983138983141983154D983141983139983141983149983138983141983154 983090983088983089983091

Arriving at last at the steep snowy

valley with the holy cave rising at its ar

end I dropped my pack at its mouth I

was ilthy stinking and unshaven but

ready to make the acquaintance o Lord

Shiva who Irsquod walked so long to reach

I climbed the long stone stairwayto the yawning mouth o the cave lambent in the semi-darkness with music

spilling out into the dusk here the amous stone lingam stood ndash a divine

phallic symbol o the potency o Lord Shiva covered in its mysterious coat o

summer ice I removed my shoes and bareoot walked on with my blistered

eet through the grit and filthy water moving with the mass o chanting and

prostrating pilgrims onwards into the shadowed reaches o the cave

India I was now sure was the perect place or those inclined to wander

a land ready to accept nomads and seekers rom strange tribes as easily as

it embraced the orthodox Moving beore the lingam I bowed and prayed

with those around me carrying inside me all the passion o my co-pilgrims

all the wild beauty o Indias land and its people and their struggles all the

happy wishes and good things in my heart

A minute later one o the temple minders shoved me roughly along and

on my way out an Indian Army soldier smiled and handed me an orange

scar adorned with Shiva mantras Te whole moment which Irsquod walked two

ull days to experience was over in less than five minutes

Outside the cave looking down on the steep narrow valley below the

hal-moon shone on the snow on the peaked roos o the tents and the stars

were bright as Christmas lights I elt at once supremely alone here in thisdistant place and yet equally a part o an ecstatic whole and I thought there

are many experiences here on Earth but truly none like this this nation that

both overwhelms and humbles me I turned and bowed once more and then

headed downhill into the darkness AA

India68

PRACTICALITIES

When to goThe pilgrimage to Amarnath runs for 35 days during the Hindu lunar

month of Shraavana which begins around late June or early J uly on

the Roman calendar Check the official website at wwwshriamarnath-

jishrinecom for precise dates

How to get thereThe trailheads are near the town of Pahalgam (recommended) or at

Baltal Camp on the Leh-Srinagar Highway For either you will first need

to get to Srinagar then proceed by bus or shared jeep to the trailheads

(both between two and three hours) Srinagar is served by regularflights from New Delhi or can be reached overland via a long (10-hour)

bus or jeep ride from the city of Jammu which has the nearest railway

station

What to takeItrsquos muddy and rain or snow can be expected at any time so bring

good shoes warm clothing and rain gear Simple sleeping kit and tents

are cheaply rented in camps along the way and meals are free in the

communal kitchens Bring snacks money and a first aid k it Do not

leave valuables in your tent

Further info You must register beforehand and bring your permit with you to the

trailhead on the designated date In India you can register at major

branches of JampK Bank YES Bank State Bank of India Punjab National

Bank and HDFC Bank For general information check the official websitewwwshriamarnathjishrinecomindexhtml or contact their Help Desk

Many tour operators can help with arranging permits etc The author

used wwwamarnathjicom for example

This last section of the journey wasalso its most treacherous a long slogup a precipitous slope we footboundpilgrims being crushed and jostled

by an endless line of litter-bearersand hire ponies the muddy path onwhich we trod often less than twometres wide

laquo

raquo

cave the atmosphere remained inectiously positive

At the inal security cordon at Panchtarni a soldier with an AK-47

smiled and gave me bandages or my blistered eet then waved me onwards

past the helicopter landing pad where flight afer flight roared loudly past

errying more well-heeled pilgrims to and rom the distant staging camp at

Baltal a day-long walk to the west

As I trekked the inal six kilometres to the holy cave my anticipationpeaked Tis last section o the journey was also its most treacherous a long

slog up a precipitous slope we ootbound pilgrims being crushed and jostled

by an endless line o litter-bearers and hire ponies the muddy path on which

we trod ofen less than two metres wide and slippery in the steady drizzle

THE MANY AND THE ONE

Left A sea of tents lap at the valley

walls at Sheshnag camp Above

A pilgrim proudly shows off hismantricom symbol haircut

MORE HOLY HIKES ANTherersquos a long tradition of pilgrim

or re-creating such a journey can b

spiritual highs alongside more liter

to connect with locals in a meaning

friendliness of much organised lsquocu

In India especially rivers attr

in the case of the Ganges there

of devotion that are among the

anywhere More widely across the

especially those that stand alone

that are the focus

In both the Hindu and Budd

circling these peaks making ako

the Tibetan for lsquocircumambulatio

a stupa or temple too ndash even sim

encounter on many mountain trac

around a whole mountain is obvio

respect It is worth noting at this p

is often frowned upon and in certa

While walking many pilgrims

or prostrate themselves over a

intended to be meditative the re

free the mind to encourage a mor

The classic kora that many

Kailash in western Tibet but ther

are offered on commercial trips Ad

for example offer two routes the

Kora (shown below)

ldquoThe first is arguably the more

of the twordquo says the companyrsquos fo

route is heavily populated with Kh

in the kora season (typically Sepabsolutely spectacular mountain s

devotees en routerdquo

Bottomley is currently plannin

peak Amne Machen in modern-d

hoping to combine a kora with a tr

Anyone drawn to such journ

should take note too that 2014 se

said to be an especially propitious

8142019 Moving Mountains - Action Asia Magazine

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmoving-mountains-action-asia-magazine 34

66

mdash N983151983158983141983149983138983141983154D983141983139983141983149983138983141983154 983090983088983089983091

meagre blanket and sleep came over me like a heavy drug

Early in the rosted morning I went out to see a sadhu perorming Surya

Namaskara the sun salutation acing the coming dawn and bending like a

willow to the ground as the sun broke over the mountains to the east In the

langar tent or breakast I bolted down my morning tea and biscuits and a

group o glassy-eyed boys rom Jammu city took my hand and dragged me

outside where dozens o pilgrims were spontaneously dancing to spiritual

music mixed with some kind o house beat everyone rom bent-backed old

women to schoolchildren clapping and busting a move

It was hard to imagine a more unusual start to a day ndash this whole

itinerant city awake and ecstatic together in the reezing dawn the great

emptiness o the mountains all around us somehow illed and enlarged by

the wild passion o the human beings contained within it I packed up my

things and donned my muddy trekking clothes and began the 700-metrecl imb to the 4270-metre pass at

Mahagunas op the highest point o the

trek more than two hours o slippery

sucking mud ascending the ravaged

mountainside

At the pass the blinding sunlight

glinting o the snow a man approached

me ldquoHe lef his soul here you know Te

saint Bholay Shankar who meditated

there but it is here all around us in th

I blinked at himldquoCanrsquot you eel itrdquo he said to me

around usrdquo

As I descended through the high g

body giddy with oxygen and endorphin

in my mind Indiarsquos penchant or unre

elt nowhere more sharply than here i

Indian military occupation Yet or all

mountains or all the barbed wire an

India66

RAINBOW OF DEVOTIONOn foot or mounted the devout

snake up the hillsides their saris

shirts and scarves vivid against

the dusty track

For all the soldierhere in the mounbarbed wire and neared the holy cremained infectio

laquo

8142019 Moving Mountains - Action Asia Magazine

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmoving-mountains-action-asia-magazine 44

68

mdash N983151983158983141983149983138983141983154D983141983139983141983149983138983141983154 983090983088983089983091

Arriving at last at the steep snowy

valley with the holy cave rising at its ar

end I dropped my pack at its mouth I

was ilthy stinking and unshaven but

ready to make the acquaintance o Lord

Shiva who Irsquod walked so long to reach

I climbed the long stone stairwayto the yawning mouth o the cave lambent in the semi-darkness with music

spilling out into the dusk here the amous stone lingam stood ndash a divine

phallic symbol o the potency o Lord Shiva covered in its mysterious coat o

summer ice I removed my shoes and bareoot walked on with my blistered

eet through the grit and filthy water moving with the mass o chanting and

prostrating pilgrims onwards into the shadowed reaches o the cave

India I was now sure was the perect place or those inclined to wander

a land ready to accept nomads and seekers rom strange tribes as easily as

it embraced the orthodox Moving beore the lingam I bowed and prayed

with those around me carrying inside me all the passion o my co-pilgrims

all the wild beauty o Indias land and its people and their struggles all the

happy wishes and good things in my heart

A minute later one o the temple minders shoved me roughly along and

on my way out an Indian Army soldier smiled and handed me an orange

scar adorned with Shiva mantras Te whole moment which Irsquod walked two

ull days to experience was over in less than five minutes

Outside the cave looking down on the steep narrow valley below the

hal-moon shone on the snow on the peaked roos o the tents and the stars

were bright as Christmas lights I elt at once supremely alone here in thisdistant place and yet equally a part o an ecstatic whole and I thought there

are many experiences here on Earth but truly none like this this nation that

both overwhelms and humbles me I turned and bowed once more and then

headed downhill into the darkness AA

India68

PRACTICALITIES

When to goThe pilgrimage to Amarnath runs for 35 days during the Hindu lunar

month of Shraavana which begins around late June or early J uly on

the Roman calendar Check the official website at wwwshriamarnath-

jishrinecom for precise dates

How to get thereThe trailheads are near the town of Pahalgam (recommended) or at

Baltal Camp on the Leh-Srinagar Highway For either you will first need

to get to Srinagar then proceed by bus or shared jeep to the trailheads

(both between two and three hours) Srinagar is served by regularflights from New Delhi or can be reached overland via a long (10-hour)

bus or jeep ride from the city of Jammu which has the nearest railway

station

What to takeItrsquos muddy and rain or snow can be expected at any time so bring

good shoes warm clothing and rain gear Simple sleeping kit and tents

are cheaply rented in camps along the way and meals are free in the

communal kitchens Bring snacks money and a first aid k it Do not

leave valuables in your tent

Further info You must register beforehand and bring your permit with you to the

trailhead on the designated date In India you can register at major

branches of JampK Bank YES Bank State Bank of India Punjab National

Bank and HDFC Bank For general information check the official websitewwwshriamarnathjishrinecomindexhtml or contact their Help Desk

Many tour operators can help with arranging permits etc The author

used wwwamarnathjicom for example

This last section of the journey wasalso its most treacherous a long slogup a precipitous slope we footboundpilgrims being crushed and jostled

by an endless line of litter-bearersand hire ponies the muddy path onwhich we trod often less than twometres wide

laquo

raquo

cave the atmosphere remained inectiously positive

At the inal security cordon at Panchtarni a soldier with an AK-47

smiled and gave me bandages or my blistered eet then waved me onwards

past the helicopter landing pad where flight afer flight roared loudly past

errying more well-heeled pilgrims to and rom the distant staging camp at

Baltal a day-long walk to the west

As I trekked the inal six kilometres to the holy cave my anticipationpeaked Tis last section o the journey was also its most treacherous a long

slog up a precipitous slope we ootbound pilgrims being crushed and jostled

by an endless line o litter-bearers and hire ponies the muddy path on which

we trod ofen less than two metres wide and slippery in the steady drizzle

THE MANY AND THE ONE

Left A sea of tents lap at the valley

walls at Sheshnag camp Above

A pilgrim proudly shows off hismantricom symbol haircut

MORE HOLY HIKES ANTherersquos a long tradition of pilgrim

or re-creating such a journey can b

spiritual highs alongside more liter

to connect with locals in a meaning

friendliness of much organised lsquocu

In India especially rivers attr

in the case of the Ganges there

of devotion that are among the

anywhere More widely across the

especially those that stand alone

that are the focus

In both the Hindu and Budd

circling these peaks making ako

the Tibetan for lsquocircumambulatio

a stupa or temple too ndash even sim

encounter on many mountain trac

around a whole mountain is obvio

respect It is worth noting at this p

is often frowned upon and in certa

While walking many pilgrims

or prostrate themselves over a

intended to be meditative the re

free the mind to encourage a mor

The classic kora that many

Kailash in western Tibet but ther

are offered on commercial trips Ad

for example offer two routes the

Kora (shown below)

ldquoThe first is arguably the more

of the twordquo says the companyrsquos fo

route is heavily populated with Kh

in the kora season (typically Sepabsolutely spectacular mountain s

devotees en routerdquo

Bottomley is currently plannin

peak Amne Machen in modern-d

hoping to combine a kora with a tr

Anyone drawn to such journ

should take note too that 2014 se

said to be an especially propitious

8142019 Moving Mountains - Action Asia Magazine

httpslidepdfcomreaderfullmoving-mountains-action-asia-magazine 44

68

mdash N983151983158983141983149983138983141983154D983141983139983141983149983138983141983154 983090983088983089983091

Arriving at last at the steep snowy

valley with the holy cave rising at its ar

end I dropped my pack at its mouth I

was ilthy stinking and unshaven but

ready to make the acquaintance o Lord

Shiva who Irsquod walked so long to reach

I climbed the long stone stairwayto the yawning mouth o the cave lambent in the semi-darkness with music

spilling out into the dusk here the amous stone lingam stood ndash a divine

phallic symbol o the potency o Lord Shiva covered in its mysterious coat o

summer ice I removed my shoes and bareoot walked on with my blistered

eet through the grit and filthy water moving with the mass o chanting and

prostrating pilgrims onwards into the shadowed reaches o the cave

India I was now sure was the perect place or those inclined to wander

a land ready to accept nomads and seekers rom strange tribes as easily as

it embraced the orthodox Moving beore the lingam I bowed and prayed

with those around me carrying inside me all the passion o my co-pilgrims

all the wild beauty o Indias land and its people and their struggles all the

happy wishes and good things in my heart

A minute later one o the temple minders shoved me roughly along and

on my way out an Indian Army soldier smiled and handed me an orange

scar adorned with Shiva mantras Te whole moment which Irsquod walked two

ull days to experience was over in less than five minutes

Outside the cave looking down on the steep narrow valley below the

hal-moon shone on the snow on the peaked roos o the tents and the stars

were bright as Christmas lights I elt at once supremely alone here in thisdistant place and yet equally a part o an ecstatic whole and I thought there

are many experiences here on Earth but truly none like this this nation that

both overwhelms and humbles me I turned and bowed once more and then

headed downhill into the darkness AA

India68

PRACTICALITIES

When to goThe pilgrimage to Amarnath runs for 35 days during the Hindu lunar

month of Shraavana which begins around late June or early J uly on

the Roman calendar Check the official website at wwwshriamarnath-

jishrinecom for precise dates

How to get thereThe trailheads are near the town of Pahalgam (recommended) or at

Baltal Camp on the Leh-Srinagar Highway For either you will first need

to get to Srinagar then proceed by bus or shared jeep to the trailheads

(both between two and three hours) Srinagar is served by regularflights from New Delhi or can be reached overland via a long (10-hour)

bus or jeep ride from the city of Jammu which has the nearest railway

station

What to takeItrsquos muddy and rain or snow can be expected at any time so bring

good shoes warm clothing and rain gear Simple sleeping kit and tents

are cheaply rented in camps along the way and meals are free in the

communal kitchens Bring snacks money and a first aid k it Do not

leave valuables in your tent

Further info You must register beforehand and bring your permit with you to the

trailhead on the designated date In India you can register at major

branches of JampK Bank YES Bank State Bank of India Punjab National

Bank and HDFC Bank For general information check the official websitewwwshriamarnathjishrinecomindexhtml or contact their Help Desk

Many tour operators can help with arranging permits etc The author

used wwwamarnathjicom for example

This last section of the journey wasalso its most treacherous a long slogup a precipitous slope we footboundpilgrims being crushed and jostled

by an endless line of litter-bearersand hire ponies the muddy path onwhich we trod often less than twometres wide

laquo

raquo

cave the atmosphere remained inectiously positive

At the inal security cordon at Panchtarni a soldier with an AK-47

smiled and gave me bandages or my blistered eet then waved me onwards

past the helicopter landing pad where flight afer flight roared loudly past

errying more well-heeled pilgrims to and rom the distant staging camp at

Baltal a day-long walk to the west

As I trekked the inal six kilometres to the holy cave my anticipationpeaked Tis last section o the journey was also its most treacherous a long

slog up a precipitous slope we ootbound pilgrims being crushed and jostled

by an endless line o litter-bearers and hire ponies the muddy path on which

we trod ofen less than two metres wide and slippery in the steady drizzle

THE MANY AND THE ONE

Left A sea of tents lap at the valley

walls at Sheshnag camp Above

A pilgrim proudly shows off hismantricom symbol haircut

MORE HOLY HIKES ANTherersquos a long tradition of pilgrim

or re-creating such a journey can b

spiritual highs alongside more liter

to connect with locals in a meaning

friendliness of much organised lsquocu

In India especially rivers attr

in the case of the Ganges there

of devotion that are among the

anywhere More widely across the

especially those that stand alone

that are the focus

In both the Hindu and Budd

circling these peaks making ako

the Tibetan for lsquocircumambulatio

a stupa or temple too ndash even sim

encounter on many mountain trac

around a whole mountain is obvio

respect It is worth noting at this p

is often frowned upon and in certa

While walking many pilgrims

or prostrate themselves over a

intended to be meditative the re

free the mind to encourage a mor

The classic kora that many

Kailash in western Tibet but ther

are offered on commercial trips Ad

for example offer two routes the

Kora (shown below)

ldquoThe first is arguably the more

of the twordquo says the companyrsquos fo

route is heavily populated with Kh

in the kora season (typically Sepabsolutely spectacular mountain s

devotees en routerdquo

Bottomley is currently plannin

peak Amne Machen in modern-d

hoping to combine a kora with a tr

Anyone drawn to such journ

should take note too that 2014 se

said to be an especially propitious