Faith moves mountains, they say. Last fortnight in Tibet, the mystique and allure of Mount Kailash was pulling Neha and Nitin Gokhale through the rough Tibetan terrain as they climbed, with some help from the allotted ponies and their cheerful handlers, the 18,600 feet Dolma pass and then negotiated the steep descent for the next 6-7 km on foot as part of the parikrama around Kailash Parvat, one of the most difficult pilgrimages in Hinduism.
This was the toughest part of the 21-day sojourn 51 of us embarked upon. Variously described as abode of Shiv and Parvati, Centre of the Earth or Axis Mundi, Mount Kailash holds different significance for different people and faiths. Rising to 6,638 metres (21,778 feet) in the remote reaches of the Tibetan plateau, it is regarded as the spiritual axis of the world by multiple religions. Hindus believe Lord Shiv, the supreme ascetic and destroyer of evil, sits in eternal meditation atop the peak. In Jainism, it is known as Ashtapada, where the first Tirthankara, Rishabhadeva, is supposed to have attained moksh. Buddhists revere the mountain as the dwelling place of Demchok (Chakrasamvara), a wrathful manifestation of Buddha, while Bon, the indigenous Tibetan religion, considers it the seat of their founder, Tonpa Shenrab. A parikrama around the mountain that has never been climbed, is the apogee of spiritual and religious achievement. Some Tibetans think it is the mythical Mount Meru, considered to be the cosmic mountain located at the exact centre of the universe. Some others refer to the majestic mountain as Axis Mundi, a Latin term denoting the place where heaven and earth meet.
None of these details were at the top of their mind when they both decided to try their luck in the computerised lottery that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) decided to conduct in May 2025. India and Chinese officials had agreed to resume the yatra through two routes, Nathula and Lipulekh after six years as part of confidence building measures between the two neighbours, who are trying to repair their recent fraught relationship. But for Nitin the bigger motivation was personal. Having entered the 60s a couple of years ago and having undergone two spine surgeries in June 2022 and December 2024, Nitin wanted to test his physical fitness and mental strength. So did his wife Neha, who had last year started going on small treks and hikes. But this would be ultimate test, they thought.
As luck would have it, on May 27, a short official mail from the MEA confirming their selection in the 3rd batch scheduled to travel via Natula, the pass between India and Tibet in Sikkim, came as one of those pleasant surprises people rarely experience. Watch their journey to the roof of the world.
