"There are no mountains like the Himalaya, for in them are Kailash and Mansarovar. As the dew is dried up by the morning Sun, the sins of mankind dried up by the sight of the Himalaya."
-Skanda Puran

The Great Himalayas have been a source of awe and inspiration for countless individuals.
 
Lake Mansarovar and Kailash which is believed to be abode of Lord Shiva and Godess Parvati is situated at other side of Uttarakhand Himalaya in Tibet.  From centuries people have been visiting Kailash Parvat and Mansarovar in spite of hundreds of odds. Kumaon was the most famous route for the Kailash Mansarovar and is also called Manaskhand in Hindu epic.
 
Lake Mansarovar came straight from the “Manas” (Mind) of Brahma Ji, who is Creator of the world, so as per the legend name is Mansarovar. It is indeed one of the holiest & most revered lake in the Universe for Hindus/Jains & Buddhist alike. Holy Lake takes away all the hardships & sufferings of the pilgrims & revives the mind & soul. A ritual Bath at Mansarovar is considered to attain Moksha and a drink of it’s water relinquishes the sins of lifetime.

Famous thinker and Philosopher Swami Pranavanand, who had visited Mansarovar number of times, describes Kailash and Kailash Mansarovar in these words:

The Holy Mansarovar is the Holiest, most fascinating, most inspiring, most famous lakes in the world and the most ancient that civilization has known. It is majestically calm and dignified, like a bluish green emerald or a pure turquoise set between two mighty and equally majestic silver mountains- “The Kailash” in the North and the “Gurla Mandhata” in the in the south.

The pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar through the Indian side is organized by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) along with Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN). Only some fortunate individuals get the chance to go to the Yatra as the Chinese government allows a limited number of Yatris every year. From the applicants on random lottery type of selection, the Yatris are chosen for the pilgrimage. For 26 days Yatra, Yatris start from New Delhi and visit Almora and Dharchula before reaching Mangti where they finish their journey by bus and start trekking.

On fourth day they start trekking from Gala to Bundi crossing Malpa, the site of tragic landslide of 1998. They reach Nabhdhang on eighth day where they can view the unique phenomenon of ‘Om’. Om Parvat, has patterns on the snow, which resemble a naturally formed ‘Om’, a rare sight since the mountain is usually wreathed in clouds.   

From Nabhidhang the Yatris enter in Tibet. Day 11 to 18 are for Parikrama of Kailash and Mansarovar.

The return journey from Lipulekh to Dharchula is via the same route taken on the onward journey except that from Dharchula, the yatris have to travel to Jageshwar Dham instead of Kathgodam and then to Delhi.

Triyambakam Yajaamahe, Sugandhim Pushti Vardhanam
Urva rukmiv Bandhanaat , Mrityor mukshiya maa mritaat