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Wylie and Helene
Hitching Across Tibet

Tirthapuri Hot Springs


Tirthapuri , Ali - Tibet


Sardines

After a few days in Ali we continued east towards Mount Kailash. We located a China Post mail truck heading our direction and piled on in the predawn darkness. There was much pushing, shoving and wailing as we squirmed into place amongst 30 other people crammed into the back of the truck. As the sun rose we looked around to see the folks whom we had be wrestling with a few hours before. Helene, in the green coat, is hoping for it to all to be over soon.

* * *
Ali, j'y ai vecu ma premiere nuit de sommeil en huit jours. Deux jours plut tard, nous partions "sur" un convoi de lettres avec China Post, vers le Mont Kailaish. A six heures du matin, Beijing time, il faisiat toujours nuit et nous avons du nous battre pour nous "sculpter" une place parmis tous ces Tibetains. Des coups dans les cotes et les jambes nous indiquaient qu'on derangeait. Pendant des heures, chacun se battait pour proteger son petit territoire sans tenir compte de la situation dans laquelle se trouvait son voisin. Un veritable combat de vie et/ou de mort se jouait. Mon seul repis fut de me chanter des chansons. Je suis en vert sur la photo et j'ai la tete baisse en desespoir de cause.



Hot Springs

Before we got to Kailash, we hopped out at Mensi and spent a few days relaxing and exploring the Tirthapuri Hot Springs. Guru Rinpoche spent some time here cleansing away his sins in the thermal waters. While in the neighborhood he also vanquished several foes of the dharma.

* * *
Quelque peu avant le Mt-Kailash, nous avons laisse China Post continue sans nous et avons passe quelques jours aux sources d'eau chaude de Tirthapuri. Guru Rinpoche y aurait passe quelques temps afin de se purifier de tous ses peches.




There is a small kora around the springs and the associated monastery. A high ridge is marked with prayer flags and symbolizes the Drolma-la pass of Kailash fame.

* * *
Il y a un Kora miniature qui encercle les sources d'eau chaude. Le plus haut col de ce Kora est decore de centaines de drapeaux de priere.



Mani Wall and Rinpoche Monastery

This mani wall is over 200 meters long. It is the result of a demon firing an arrow at Guru Rinpoche. He stopped the arrow’s flight and transformed it into this wall.

* * *
Ce mur "mani" est d'une longueur de 200 metres. Cela aurait ete l'oeuvre d'un demon qui aurait lance une fleche enflammee a Guru Rinpoche. Ce dernier, par ces pouvoirs surnaturels, l'aurait intercepte et transforme en un mur de pierres.




Numerous truckloads of Pilgrims came and went as we visited. They also had numerous tents set up. More Pilgrims were washing the sins from their clothes than their bodies.

* * *
Plusieurs camions remplis de pellerins y viennent s'y purifier apres avoir completer le Kora du Mont Kailash. La plupart en profite pour nettoyer leurs vetements plutot que leur corps.






Previous
Aksay Qin to Ali
Next
Mount Kailash - Insurance
  Wylie and Helene - List of Journals
  Hitching Across Tibet - Intro Average Rating of 42 Viewers
Chapters of Hitching Across Tibet
  Preparations
  Kashgar to Aksay Qin
  Aksay Qin to Ali
  Tirthapuri Hot Springs
  Mount Kailash - Insurance
  Mount Kailash - Death
  Mount Kailash - Rebirth
  On To Lhasa
  Pellerins / Pilgrims
  Gompas
  I am the Walrus
  The Late Great Tibet
  To the Valley Below

       

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