Chitkul also has a Buddhist temple and a small tower. The Buddhist temple–Kagyupa temple–houses a valuable old image of the Buddha, a Wheel of Life mandala and four Directional Kinds on either side of the door.
The quintessential village is also the last point for pilgrims of the famous Kinner Kailash Parikrama. It is said that the goddess of Chitkul–the only non-Buddhist deity in the place–must to be revered by the Parikrama pilgrims to complete their journey. As per locals, goddess Chitkul is supposedly related to the deity of Gangotri and the villagers were believed to carry the goddess to Gangotri on foot over mountain passes till recently.
We could manage to drive down on little unfriendly ‘road’ to the Nagasthi checkpost of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). That was the last point any civilian can visit without a permit.
As we stood there looking at the unchartered road ahead, it reminded us that life is also a journey such as this, sometimes traveling through smooth highways, sometimes bumping ahead on rocky roads, and sometimes faced with a ‘no-road’ ahead!
We started our homebound journey with a resolution to explore more such lesser explored destinations. After a layover at Fagu, a hill station in its natural best (no mall road, no market, no sightseeing…just scenic beauty), we headed towards Delhi, to get back to our rat race mechanical life, but this time, with a beautiful hangover!
Location: Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh
Climate: Very cold. Weather changes very rapidly here and a sudden fall in temperature may trigger winter like conditions in summers as well.
Population: 800 (2010 census)
Best time to visit: Although, one may visit Chitkul any time of the year, but due to heavy snowfall in winters, the village becomes inaccessible for tourists.
Significance: The last inhabited village near the Indo-China border
Languages spoken: Hindi
Kinnaur Kalachakra Celestial Palace, located in Rekong Peo, Brelengi, is also known as Brelengi Gompa. The palace is famous for the Gompa that was constructed for conducting the Kalachakra ceremony by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1992. More than 20,000 people attended the celebrations.
The Kalachakra tradition revolves around the concept of time (kala) and cycles (chakra): from the cycles of the planets, to the cycles of human breathing, it teaches the practice of working with the most subtle energies within one’s body on the path to enlightenment.
Practice of the Kalachakra tantra, like all Buddhist tantric systems, is based on first receiving the proper initiations. There are eleven Kalachakra initiations: seven initiations of entering like a child, three exalted initiations, and one most exalted initiation. Disciples who are temporarily intent on just the worldly siddhis (magical or mystical accomplishments) are given only the seven lower initiations. Those who are mainly interested in the transcendental siddhi of buddhahood are given all eleven initiations.
The Kalachakra initiation ceremony is usually given over 12 days. The first eight days are reserved for preparation rituals, during which the monks make a sand mandala, dedicated to both individual and world peace and physical balance. Thereafter, the students are initiated, and are allowed to see the completed mandala. The ceremony ends with the monks releasing the positive energy of the mandala into the world through a final ritual.
The next Kalachakra is scheduled to take place in January 2017 in Bodhgaya.
Source: http://www.dalailama.com/teachings/kalachakra-initiations
About the author: Dr. Ashish Bawa is a consultant for physical rehab and stress management, specialising in the field of ergonomics, spinal rehabilitation and emotional intelligence. He loves to explore unchartered territories.
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