Mahabharata (epic), 138 Manasarovar Lake: sacredness, 90, 117, 119, 123; Moorcroft visits, 99; and Rakshas Tal, 117; character, 11819; bird life, 1202, 132; frozen, 123; Hindus bathe in, 123, 141, 183, 212; Hedin reaches, 130; sky-G.o.ds bathe in, 132; hermits, 1334 mandalas, 512 mani walls, 112, 122 Manjushri (G.o.d), 188 Marpa (Milarepa"s teacher), 215 Masto (shamanic G.o.d), 15 Masudi (Arab geographer), 73 Meru, Mount see see Kailas, Mount Kailas, Mount Messner, Reinhold, 169 Milarepa (Buddhist saint), 167, 176, 204, 21317 Mirror of the King of Death (rock), 197 monasteries and temples, 426, 48, 645, 11214, 1212, 1235, 127; see also see also individual monasteries individual monasteries monks: life-style, 468, 54, 767; watch television, 70; armed, 88; exiled from Tibet, 1045; sky burials, 150; at Kailas ceremonies, 161; see also see also monasteries and temples monasteries and temples Moorcroft, William, 99, 129 Muchu (village), 64, 71
Nala Kankar (or Nalakanka) Himal, 18, 86 Nara pa.s.s, 80, 823, 85, 88 Naropa (Buddhist saint), 172 Nepal: Maoism in, 4, 401, 46; royal dynasty deposed, 4; caste outlawed, 13; ethnic composition, 13; as Tibet"s link with outside world, 19; education, 401 Nestorian Christianity, 103 nirvana, 52, 199 nyen (spirits), 87 (spirits), 87 Nyingma (Tibetan sect), 50, 103, 127, 199 Nyo Lhanangpa (Buddhist saint), 175
Padmasambhava (Buddhist saint): restores Buddhism to Tibet, 20, 99; images, 41, 113, 125, 157, 214; incarnations, 49; on secret entrances to beyul beyul sanctuaries, 82; leaves imprints, 1267; origins, 1267; Darchen statue, 146; and Mount Kailas, 176; votive cake, 185; and Book of the Dead, 202 sanctuaries, 82; leaves imprints, 1267; origins, 1267; Darchen statue, 146; and Mount Kailas, 176; votive cake, 185; and Book of the Dead, 202 Parvati (G.o.ddess), 139, 212 Phagmo (Demchog"s consort), 137 Place of Black and White Sins, 204 Pranavananda, Swami, 123, 127 prayer flags, 1920, 87, 124, 157, 170 prayer wheels, 20, 30, 42, 147 Prester John, 103 Puranas, 128
Rakshas Tal (lake of demons), Tibet, 11718, 128, 130, 218 Ramayana (epic), 119, 138 Ravana (Hindu demon), 175 Red Hat sect (Tibetan), 150 reincarnations (tulkus), 435, 65, 2012 Rikzin Nyima Drakpa (mystic), 202 rocks: carved and incised, 345, 83, 121; see also see also mani walls mani walls Roerich, Nicholas, 81 Royal Geographical Society, London, 130
Saga Dawa (Buddhist holy month), 132, 145, 147, 150, 214 Sailendra dynasty, Java, 140 Saipal Himal (mountain), 20, 147 Sakyamuni Buddha, 113 Salle Khola river, 356 salt: trade, 845 Sanchi (Buddhist stupa), 139 Secret Path of the Dakinis, 195, 208 Senge Dongpa (sky-dancer G.o.ddess), 187 Serkyi Cherkip monastery, 1212, 133 shamans, 11, 209 Shambala (mythical kingdom), 802 Shang-shung kingdom, 49, 81, 178 Shangri-La (fictional land), 32, 81 Sharmari (mountain), 197, 203 Shenrab (Bonpo founder), 1778, 181 Shepeling monastery, Taklakot, 11314, 116 Sher (trading post), 91 Sherriff, George, 83 Shiva (Hindu G.o.d), 6, 678, 119, 122, 1379, 142, 150, 184, 188 Shiva Tsal (Indian cremation site), 1956 Sikhs: invade Tibet (1841), 115 Simikot (town), 1, 28, 41 Singh, Zorawar, 11516, 170 Sipsip Meadows, 82 Sisne Hind (mountain range), 40 sky-dancers, 187, 193, 195; see also dakinis see also dakinis sky burial, 1504 Stark, Freya, 51 Sutlej river: source, 5, 100, 1289; name, 129 swastika, 1434
Taklakot, Tibet, 60, 72, 92, 94, 10913 Tamang people, 78 tantrism, 501, 1346, 167, 188 Tara (Buddhist G.o.ddess), 102, 171, 176, 188, 20810, 213 Tara, pa.s.s of, 198 tarpan (Hindu rite), 141 (Hindu rite), 141 Tashi (monk), 69, 767, 1357, 2012, 211 Tengyur (Buddhist commentaries), 51, 128 Tethys Sea (prehistoric), 89, 119, 143 Thakuri people, 7, 13, 19, 25 Theosophical Society, 31 Tibet: as forbidden land, 67; trade with Nepal, 19; mystique and isolation, 301, 801; China invades (1959), 32, 43, 46, 82; exiles, 33; traders, 845; borders closed by Chinese, 85; early warriors, 878; geography, 8990; Chinese road-building, 91, 95; author crosses into, 98, 106; Christian missionaries, 99, 102, 164; early foreign visitors and travellers, 99102; British invasion (1904), 101; Chinese persecution and destruction in, 111, 121, 134, 170, 214, 217; Sikh invasion (1841), 115; secret wisdom, 127; chortens, 139; Chinese troops in, 146, 1489, 1578, 160, 170, 217; death cults and rituals, 150, 199 Tibetan Book of the Dead, The, 312, 127, 151, 198203 Torea pa.s.s, 75, 78 Toyo, Tibet, 11516 Trugo monastery, 125 Tsang, Divine Madman of, 215 Tsegu monastery, Taklakot, 11213 tsen (spirits), 87 (spirits), 87 Tucci, Giuseppe, 186 Tuling (village), 10 tulkus see reincarnations reincarnations
Urna (deity), 139 Uttarakhand, 107
Vajra Yogini burial ground (Kailas), 1957 Vajrapani (mountain), 185, 188 vajrayana (path of faith), 134 (path of faith), 134 Valley of Incense, 192 vultures: and disposal of dead, 1512
w.a.n.gdu, Gyato, 79 Wheel of Becoming, 523 Wheel of the Law, 42 Wild Yak Valley, 186 Wilhelm II, Kaiser, 1311 Wilson, Colonel, 169
yaks, 27, 85, 91, 144, 154, 203, 205 Yalbang (village and monastery), 37, 39, 72, 135 Yama (Buddhist G.o.d of death), 52, 66, 184, 196, 2001 Yangar (village), 334, 5863 Yari (village), 79, 159 Yeats, William Butler: Meru Meru, 102 Yeshe Tsogyal (Padmasambhava"s consort), 1256 yidam (Buddhist concept), 1356 (Buddhist concept), 1356 yogi: practice, 1345; and impermanence of world, 139; in Bon religion, 178; and death, 199 Younghusband, Sir Francis Edward, 101
Zanskar pa.s.s, 100 Zutrul p.h.u.k monastery, 213
About the Author.
COLIN THUBRON is an acknowledged master of travel writing. His first books were about the Middle East-Damascus, Lebanon, and Cyprus. In 1982 he traveled in the Soviet Union, pursued by the KGB. From these early experiences developed his great travel books on the landma.s.s that makes up Russia and Asia: is an acknowledged master of travel writing. His first books were about the Middle East-Damascus, Lebanon, and Cyprus. In 1982 he traveled in the Soviet Union, pursued by the KGB. From these early experiences developed his great travel books on the landma.s.s that makes up Russia and Asia: Among the Russians Among the Russians; Behind the Wall: A Journey through China Behind the Wall: A Journey through China; The Lost Heart of Asia The Lost Heart of Asia; In Siberia In Siberia; and most recently, Shadow of the Silk Road Shadow of the Silk Road.
Colin Thubron is an award-winning novelist as well as, arguably, the most admired travel writer of our time. He lives in London.
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OTHER BOOKS BY COLIN THUBRON.
Nonfiction
Shadow of the Silk Road
In Siberia
The Lost Heart of Asia
Behind the Wall
Among the Russians
Journey into Cyprus
Jerusalem
The Hills of Adonis
Mirror to Damascus
Fiction
To the Last City
Distance
Turning Back the Sun
Falling
A Cruel Madness
Emperor
The G.o.d in the Mountain