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Travelogue: A hermit travels from the Garhwal Himalayas to Mount Kailash and Manas Sarovar in 1898

Scroll | July 24, 2026 1:39 PM CST

Today is the 26th of Jaisthya of the Bengali year 1306. I took a rest at Joshimath today. From here I had to make all preparations to go to Tibet. I will get up tomorrow morning and proceed towards Kailash and Manas Sarovar.

Tomorrow’s sunrise will help me in my journey; tomorrow’s cool breeze will stimulate my heart and mind and give me the leisure to reach the foot of Kailashpati – Lord Kailash. These thoughts didn’t let me sleep at night. I only sat waiting for dawn to arrive. Then, before the early morning sun rose high in the sky, I got up, completed my ablutions, and woke up my companions.

The royal path, which I mentioned earlier, would take us up to Niti, located at the border of the British state. From there the Tibetan territory began. The royal path went along the valley of the Dhauliganga, which originated in Tibet.

We left Joshimath a little before dawn and began to walk along the path. Approximately around noon, we reached a village called “Dhak”, which was at a distance of six miles from Joshimath. The road to Niti went eastwards through this village. The Dhauliganga also flowed below Dhak. After Dhak, there...