Lake Manasarovar Introduction

Lake Mapham-yutso(victorious)manasarovar in indian language is the most venerated of Tibet’s many lakes and one of the most sacred lake in Tibet. with its blue waters, sandy shoreline and snow capped- mountain backdrop, is water offering to the mount kailash. According to ancient hindu and buddhist cosmology the four great rivers of indian subcontinent, the indus, ganga, sutlej and Brahmaputra, arise from manasarovar, though in reality only sutlej originates at the lake.

Accordingly, indian pilgrims bathe in the waters of lake and circumambulates its shoreline. The hindus believe that bathing with the water of mapham tso will drive off avaricious desires, troubled thoughts and past sins. But Tibetans will never bath in the lake and will always circumambulate around the lake. According to tibetan buddhism, lake manasarovar is the water offering for the holy mount kailash and tibetans always try to keep the lake as cleans as they can possible.

Along the circumambulate circuit to the lake mapham-yutso, you can notice different interesting Gonpa(temple) like Trugo gon, gotsuk gon and Jiu gonpa. Among them, Jiu gonpa is most familiar to everyone.

JIU GONPA: (sparrow monastery) is situated at lake’s westside on a small steep hill. Orginally founded by the Drukpa Khagyu lama Kyapgon Gongriwa, inside there is a small shrine and cave where padmasambhava meditate with his consort Yeshi Tsogyal before leaving this world. The most important and holiest thing inside the cave is the granite rocks with clear imprints of padmasambhava’s hand and feet. Above the cave, there is a small chamber, with an image of padmasambhava and tomb of lama Tsewang, who was responsible for rebuilding the complex during the 1980s.

There is one mast interesting thing in Jiu gonpa is that the lamas(monk) selling a dried fish in the temple. The fishes are collected from the shore of lake mapham-yutso and these fishes all are blinded. All these fishes are believe to be natural death and can be helpful for treating many different diseases. Also monks are selling a reddish sand with small pack about 5-10Y per pack. The sand will vanished after putting on your tongue and the Tibetans believe that the sand was blessing from the lake.

You can also seen so many weaterners camoing at the shore of the lake and a poor guesthouse infront of Jiu gonpa. All backside is a village with popular in natural hot spring. Travellers often use to take shower there with about 20Y per time. The Tibetans have also created several open-air stone baths where you can wash yourself and clothes in the hot water.