Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MILAREPA VERSUS NARO BÖNCHUNG
All around Mt Kailash there are signs of a legendary contest for control that involved Mil-
arepa, the Buddhist poet-saint, and Naro Bönchung, the Bön master. According to the
Buddhists, Milarepa came out the victor in all the various challenges, but despite this
Naro Bönchung still argued for a final, winner-takes-all duel: a straightforward race to the
top of the mountain.
Mounting his magic drum, Naro Bönchung immediately set out to fly to the summit.
Unperturbed by the progress made by his rival, Milarepa rose from his bed at dawn and
was carried by a ray of light directly to the summit. Shocked by this feat, Naro Bönchung
tumbled off his drum, which skittered down the south face of the mountain, gouging the
long slash marking Mt Kailash to this day. Gracious in victory, Milarepa decreed that Bön
followers could continue to make their customary anticlockwise circuits of Mt Kailash,
and awarded them Bönri as their own holy mountain.
Stage 3: Zutul-puk Monastery to Darchen
3-4 hours / 14km / 150m descent
From the monastery the trail follows the river closely for an hour or so then climbs above
the river and enters the lovely Gold & Red Cliffs, a narrow canyon whose walls are stained
purple, cobalt and rust.
When the canyon narrows look for holes gouged into the cliff walls. These are not nat-
ural but made by pilgrims looking for holy stones. Also look for prayer flags festooned
across the river, and in the far distance the blue waters of the lake Rakshas Tal.
Where the trail emerges onto the Barkha plain, close to the fourth prostration point
(4700m), Gurla Mandata is again visible in the distance. It's now an easy one-hour walk
back to Darchen along a dirt road. While not a very scenic stretch of the kora, the steady
ground below does allow you to drift off and reflect on the past three days.
