Tibet, Mount Kailash. We had been lucky with the weather. The snow came only on the second day of our three-day trekking tour around Mount Kailash. That morning, a white layer covered the rugged mountain landscape. The sky was overcast and the afternoon prediction was for more snow and wind. But by then, we would hopefully have the 5,630 meter high Drölma La Pass behind us.
Unassigned, unpaid advertising. The article contains affiliate links.
Last night, it had already been windy. Cold wind whistled through the window beside my bed. But it was not only the wind and the height that kept me awake. I was nervous because of the pass crossing and because of the weather forecast. While I waited for sleep, I let the pictures of our first day run before my eyes. A sea of people and colourful prayer flags came to life again.
The Saga Dawa Festival at Mount Kailash - a sea of people and colourful prayer flags
The first day of our trekking tour was the highlight of the Saga Dawa Festival. This is the most important festival in Buddhism because it celebrates three events at once: the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha. From the small village of Darchen, many believers made the pilgrimage to the Tarboche. This is a flagpole that is decorated with thousands of colourful prayer flags. With the strength of several men, it is erected to stand in the middle of a valley at the base of Mount Kailash.
After the Tarboche had been erected, many visitors started to circumnavigate Mt. Kailash. This tour around the holy mountain - also called the Kora - is said to be good for the creation of positive karma and the relief from sins. The pilgrims were as colourful as the prayer flags: Old people, young people, families with small children and even women with babies on their backs. Numerous travel groups mingled among the Tibetans. We were one of them. Two Germans, two Californians, six Australians, our Tibetan guide Sonam and our six Tibetan porters accompanied by an emergency pony.
Prayer Flags and Sunglasses
On the second day, we started before sunrise. Sonam divided our small group for the pass crossing. The faster ones followed Nima, the Tibetan woman who carried the common bag for me and my partner. The slower ones would follow Sonam.
Even with the grey clouds hiding the sun, the snow still dazzled my eyes. The wind blew harder at the mountain pass. As soon as I took of my sunglasses, the wind assulted my eyes. So even for photographing, I did not take off my glasses any more.
The path steeply rose. While we climbed the icy parts, Nima always had an eye on us, and she was always there with a helping hand. To protect from the wind, Nima had wrapped her pink cloth around her head. Only her eyes were still free. It was only later that I saw on a photo how much she had squinted her eyes.
The path steeply rose. While we climbed the icy parts, Nima always had an eye on us, and she was always there with a helping hand. To protect from the wind, Nima had wrapped her pink cloth around her head. Only her eyes were still free. It was only later that I saw on a photo how much she had squinted her eyes.
The "Shades of Love" Project
The Saga Dawa Festival is a time to do meritorious things and make others happy. The joy we gave Nima with the gift of sunglasses warmed our hearts in the cold wind of the Tibetan highlands. It was one of the most meaningful and beautiful gifts my partner and I have ever given.
Five months after returning from Tibet, I became aware of the "Shades of Love" project. At their suggestion, I wrote this little story about a great gift. "Shades of Love" collects old and new sunglasses and distributes them in the remote high mountain regions of the Himalayas and the Andes. Because there, in the habitable regions between 2,500 and 5,000 meters, the UV radiation is particularly strong. Many of the people living here suffer from eye disorders. As a result, these difficulties threaten their work and existence.
You want to know more about "Shades of Love?"
Read here, how you can support the project.
You're planning a trip to Tibet? Then you might also be interested in my articles about the Barkhor in Lhasa, the Potala Palace, the forgotten Kingdom of Guge as well as my longer article about our three-Day Trekking Tour around Mount Kailash.
Book Recommendations for Tibet
You want to know where the journey goes? Then I can recommend these books* about Tibet.
You can order these books at Amazon with a click on the pictures. If you buy a product via one of these affiliate links, I get a small commission and you help me to keep filling Fernweh-Motive with interesting articles. The product will not be more expensive for you.
Do you want to know when there are new articles on my blog? Then follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram. I would also be very happy if you share my article with your friends.
