A Once-Reluctant Pilgrim Tells of His Life-Changing Experience in the Himalayas

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Inner Trek: A Reluctant Pilgrim in the Himalayas by Mohan Ranga Rao

It is said that people do not freely choose to travel to Mount Kailash. That Kailash chooses you, not the other way around.

Mohan Ranga Rao certainly did not choose Kailash — not at first. A self-described “reluctant pilgrim,” he only took to the Himalayas after a heart-pounding brush with danger. The Kailash Manasa Sarovar may be a sacred trek across several mountains, but unlike his more religious wife, Mohan looked to the pilgrimage mostly as a formidable hiking expedition. What he experienced instead was an unforgettable adventure that spanned the full breadth of what life has to offer, from triumphant highs to disheartening lows, all culminating in a spiritual awakening at 18,000 feet above sea level.

In the Q&A below, we speak with Mohan, author of Inner Trek: A Reluctant Pilgrim in the Himalayas, about what it was truly like to climb those mountains. And in turn, we learn what advice Mohan would give to those looking to follow in his footsteps.

Q: Tell us a little about your unusual motivation for going on Kailash Mansarovar.

A: When I started my journey, that was thrust upon me by peculiar events as I gave elucidated in my book, Mount Kailash was just another high-altitude trek. I was more eager to experience altitude conditions at 18,000 feet.

Q: Explain a little about what it means to go on this pilgrimage. What is the significance of this hike?

A: I was never a pilgrimage lover and I agreed rather reluctantly yielding to my wife’s relentless insistence. The 28-mile Parikrama (Kora by Tibetan Buddhists) is a circumambulation around Mount Kailash, a holy Shrine in Tibet revered by a billion people. The Parikrama is believed to absolve one of all the previous bad Karma edifying one’s soul.

Q: What was one moment on the hike that stands out to you — either because it was terrifying, or because it was exhilarating?

A: The moment I took my first look at the North face of Mount Kailash — I experienced God.

Q: You lead a very active lifestyle — playing tennis daily and taking frequent hikes. What is it about this lifestyle that calls to you?

A: My aspiration to be able to climb peaks, hike mountain trails and stay fit. I never miss my tennis daily since it helps both my social connectedness and my physical reflexes.

Q: Who do you think is the target audience for your book?

A: Armchair readers, travelers, trekkers and people interested in Spirituality, Tibet and the Himalayas.

Q: What advice would you give other hikers looking to go on Kailash Mansarova?

A: Hike at least two miles under 35 minutes three to four time weekly and practice deep breathing exercises a month before.

Spiritual Clarity Comes at 18,000 Feet in Reluctant Pilgrimage Through the Himalayas

Mohan Ranga Rao is an accomplished businessman, an avid traveler and a generous philanthropist. He has visited over thirty different countries and is drawn to places of natural beauty and physically challenging trails. He plays tennis daily, takes frequent hikes and reads anything from scotch labels to quantum physics to Vedanta.