One more chapter from Beyond the Himalayas
We
had to cross a stream as soon as we left from the Chhorangla base camp. Now, the chilling water makes our feet unable
to move. Because of such a fear, I looked around whether I could jump over the
water. Nowhere was a convenient place to jump. I entered into the water
compelled to take out my shoes. My God! My feet wouldn't move. I thought my
feet have been chopped off and I have become a lame man. We crossed the river
but it took very long for the feet to get life. After crossing the stream, we
began to climb a short hill and as soon as we reached at the top, we could see
an enormous sloppy Himalayan open ground. Because of
Infant rivers taking their motion Photo: KN Dhakal
its
slope, I think we can't call it a ground. Therefore, it will be better to call
it enormous sloppy highland. As we reached there our porters began to dig on
the ground here and there. I was startled for a moment. Why these are tired
people running like this? I didn't get any hint. Later, we knew that we could
find here the valuable Himalayan herb 'Yarchagumba',
[1] and
that was why the porters were running to surpass their friends.
The
porters and helpers of our team began to search and eat the yarchagumba. "This makes us
healthier, increases sexual power and takes care of overall health. This is the
king of all medicines. It has been prohibited to export. Fines are charged Rs.
50 per piece, "– the porters were explaining its importance to all. The
Japanese trekkers were looking carefully at the wonderful medicine in their
hands. "Sir, you can eat it" – a porter gave me 3 yarchagumbas. But I did not dare to
swallow the insect with soil all around and put it into my pocket to eat later,
after washing. But the porters ate the raw yarchagumba
at the rate of 10/12 per person.
Miss Reiko Ogasabara holding Yarchagumba Photo: KN Dhakal
The
excitement over the yarchagumba was
over as soon as we crossed the slope. This was found in certain places, and not
everywhere. It was already two and half hours since we had left from our camp
and now we are at the top of the 'Sela
pass', the highest point of this area at an altitude of 5388 meters. We
can't see any speck of soil from the foot of this pass up to the highest point
of the pass. Everything around is stones and stone dust is in the form of soil.
There is no trace of any plants.
I
had seen the picture of a 'Yarchagumba'
only in a postage stamp. But today I have seen it just before me. It was a
wonderful thing – an insect downwards and a mushroom upwards! What should we
call it, a plant or a creature? It was wonderful. The insect with an umbrella
of mushroom on its head and could move. It is exactly like an insect with the
shape of a caterpillar but without the thorny hair.
We
can have a direct observation of how rivers originate from the sceneries around
here. There is snow on the hills of rocks around and avalanches have occurred
with the lumps of snow unable to remain on the top. This avalanche would slightly melt when it
falls down and water like paste would come out. All the paste like lumps from
all the valleys would slide downwards on the slope and would turn into water
after mingling with each other. Rivers have originated like this from here. I
imagined that how happy they would be to see this if we could bring our
children here. But it was almost impossible now. Now we are standing on the top
of the pass. A gentle cold breeze is cooling the heat we gained during our
climb uphill. The snow is accompanying together with the wind. To see snow fall
over oneself was pleasant scenery. The snow is falling like the fur of Simal[2] tree on our
heads. We have put on rain-coats and shake away snow time and again. When it
snows over oneself it will not wet us and the environment around was warm. But
I have been unable to distinguish whether this warmness is because of the
combination of heat during the climb with cold air or its own warmth of
snowing.
We
came to normal after taking a rest for 15-20 minutes at the pass. Meanwhile, it
began to rain heavily. Now, we have to descend downhill very carefully. There
is nothing on our way except for broken pieces of rocks. Our steps can't be
stable because of the broken stones and round pebbles of similar size. The
stones slide down unexpectedly, because of the rain and we control our bodies
with a slight inclination.
After the descend
downhill, we reached at a small stream and we followed its bank. In the sandy
land at the bank of the river, natural garden of Padamchal[3]
has been growing as if cultivated by human labor. Really, uniform rows of this
plant have been growing here as if planted by someone at a uniform distance. I
had also seen the picture of a 'Padamchal'
plant on a postage stamp. Today, I could see it directly and I continued my
journey sucking the stem of its leaf. It had a sour taste. They say it is an
invaluable herbal medicine. But nobody knows for what ailment? We swallowed it
much, with the thinking that alright, if it is a medicine, why not to eat too
much?
Lunch, stone garden and Padamchal Photo: Kazuko Tominaga
We
had our lunch under umbrellas amidst this natural garden of Padamchal.
By the evening, we reached at the place near Shey Gumba with
difficulty amid rain and storm. I had never in my dream imagined that there can
be such a grand Monastery in such a remote place.
The
Shey Gumba is rich not only
culturally but also in terms of physical infrastructure. There are small Stupas around the Monastery and there is
a big lawn nearby. Trekkers would hook their tents here. The Italian group had
already arrived before us.
Shelter for tonight: meadow near the Shey
Gumba Photo: Kazuko Tominaga
Teenager girls of Shey
area Photo: KN Dhakal
After we arrived, a French group also arrived. We,
the visitors occupied all the ground and were a good spectacle for the locals
around. Just like water turns round watermill in other hilly areas, there are Manes[4]
that are turned round by water here. Holy Manes turning round and round, always
– what a pleasant feeling, when we see such religious atmosphere!
Although outsiders call this Monastery 'Shey Monastery', the local people here
call the whole of the mountain[5] north
of the Monastery as 'Shey' or sacred
region and Buddhists would circumambulate the whole area in one full day. They
informed us that the Monastery which we called 'Shey Monastery' on the basis of maps, and as what people call it
popularly, but its real name was 'Somdok
Gumba'. Another Monastery in a cliff, north of it was called 'Charbang Gumba.' Still another
Monastery near it was called 'Gombochhe
Gumba' and another was 'Semdung
Gumba'. Shey Gumba was one word
used to denote all these monasteries. The Charbang
Monastery in the cliff across the river was regarded as the main Monastery as
it was a residence of the Avatari[6]
Lama. When I heard all this, I wanted to
visit the place and to meet the Lama. But because of climatic adversity and
lack of time, my desire could not materialize.
Charbang Gumba: on the lap of inaccessible
cliffs Photo: KN Dhakal
We
were tired because of the walk all day and the beating by the rain. Despite
this, we went to the Somdok Monastery
for a Darshan.[7] As
the distance between the Monastery and the tent was a mere 100 meters, we
walked to and from several times. But the chief Lama of the Monastery had gone
somewhere else after closing the Monastery. We could meet many of his aides,
and we got a lot of information from them. But, we have to wait until tomorrow
morning to pay homage[8]
inside the Monastery.
"Sir,
we should have some enjoyment today" proposed Ram Kumar.
"Alright,
if you think so" I answered. Then he sent some of our helpers to bring a
sheep. After a much hard work, they brought a sheep from the villages above at
a cost of NRs. 2200 and made preparations to butcher it. Some of us entered
into our tent and started to play 'call
break.'[9]
A huge wall painting inside the Monastery Photo: Kazuko Tominaga
The
next morning we had a 'Darshan' of
the Monastery. It was rich in the inside heritages. We prayed before the grand
statue of Lord Buddha for a long while. I lit yak ghee-fed lamp in memory of my
late mother. Mr. Oiwa began to take measures of the Monastery. Miss Tominaga
began to draw sketches in a corner.
Who
was the person that carried out such a grand painting and sculpting in a
Monastery of such a remote place? And when did he do it? Oh, human
civilization, equally perfect are all your layers if we look them one by one.
How true would be the inner civilization, if only we could remove all the
outside filth? But what can we do? Before our eyes is a grand Monastery which
is clearly seen lacking cleanliness. There is the grand Buddha. Peaceful are
his eyes and his Mudra[10]
is like that of human welfare. But, sadly we lack vision. The ancestors built
them for us, but we even lack the awareness and spirit to conserve them.
Next huge wall painting inside the Gumba Photo: KN Dhakal
***
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