The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
(Continued from the last part)
During Sarat Chandra Das's first journey to Tibet, he stayed for six months as a guest of the Prime Minister at the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. During this time, the minister learned much about Western civilization from him and became intrigued by it. At the invitation of the Prime Minister, Sarat Chandra began his second journey to Tibet in 1881. On November 7, 1881, when he departed from Darjeeling for Tibet, his mind was filled with anxiety and uncertainty.
Crossing several rickety bamboo bridges with Lama Ugyen, they reached the deserted village of Gok late at night via a narrow and slippery path. After spreading a blanket on the grass, they spent some time lying down in the rain, and at 4 a.m., they set off again on the difficult journey. By morning, they reached the Rammam Valley. The Rammam River, a tributary of the Rongit River, forms the boundary between British India and independent Sikkim.
Up until this point, no one had seen the writer since leaving Darjeeling. Now, he changed into Tibetan clothes, abandoning his Indian attire. Continuing their arduous trek, they reached the Dhumadiyan Valley (known as Chorten Gang in the Bhutia language). Along the way, they saw many antelopes and wild goats. The local villagers were so poor that they couldn't afford to buy guns to hunt these animals. The Limbu people did not practice farming; they would cultivate a piece of land for three or four years, leave it fallow for three years, and then burn the weeds before replanting. The Limbus had many strange customs. For example, they would play drums for trivial matters. An example of this was when a husband left the village, and upon his return, the wife, along with the children, would play the drum in his honor.
Then came a dense forest of tall pine and magnolia trees, with huge ferns. After seeing wild boar tracks and crossing several small streams, they reached an elevation of 6,000 feet by noon, but were unable to find a resting place due to the thick presence of mosquitoes. They finally descended the mountain and spent the night beneath an oak tree near a bush with religious red cloth-wrapped bamboo branches. As they passed the prosperous village near the homes of Bhutias, Lepchas, and Limbus, they noticed cardamom cultivation. Below them, two bamboo bridges spanned the Kalai or Kalhait River, and the Limbus here used bamboo nets to catch delicious fish. They then ascended the mountain, passing through tall grass forests, where wild boars and porcupines were abundant. From above, places like Pemianshi, Hi, and Yangte could be seen.
Next, they passed through Lingcham, Sangnag Choeling Monastery, Talle Village, and Nambura Village. The writer saw hunters, especially pheasant hunters, who sold stuffed birds in Darjeeling. In Keta village, they stayed amidst dense forests, home to bears, boars, and leopards. Their journey took a more fearful turn when they received news of a man-eating tiger that had killed two Nepali woodcutters in Singalila. Last year, a tiger had killed many people, and everyone feared it might return for more.
Although Yam-Pung-La was not as high as Zongri-La, it was much harder to climb. Then came Du-La (the Demon Mountain), where both Ugyen and a porter fell ill while climbing. Walking through the snow was so difficult that the writer used both hands and feet to continue.
On November 20, the sky was overcast, with a light breeze. The guide, Furchung, was worried about a snowstorm, and he began muttering mantras as he packed up to leave. They started their ascent towards Noga Pass. After climbing a mile, they reached a frozen lake, where the guide spread ice pieces on the lake to mark the path to prevent anyone from slipping. Following this path, the others continued behind him. After a while, the guide, trembling with fear, said that there was no point in continuing; death awaited them in an hour. The writer asked where he saw this death. The guide pointed to the clouds above, moving quickly across the sky, and warned that a heavy snowfall would soon begin. No one would be able to escape. The only way to survive was to turn back to Bogta-La. The guide cried, but returning within an hour seemed impossible. Furthermore, more snow might fall, and they would have to turn back again. After much persuasion, Furchug agreed, and the writer took the lead. After an hour, they reached the pass. The sky had cleared, and the blue sky seemed heavenly, with the sunlight dispelling all fears.
After walking for another hour, they saw the paw prints of a Tibetan leopard on soft snow. The writer marveled at how such an animal could move on such soft snow, and the companions explained that leopards possessed supernatural powers.
After walking for another hour, when the writer became too exhausted to walk, the guide threw his belongings onto the snow, where they slid down a slope and got stuck in the rocks. The writer then lay down and slid down the slope in the same path. In the afternoon, they descended the Chulnkiyok Pass. Afterward, Furchung couldn’t find the path to descend from Semaram Pass due to the deep snow. Eventually, they had to slide down several hundred feet of snow. There, the writer saw the tracks of a rabbit-like bird called Chamdang and the paw prints of a snow leopard.
In Kangpa-Chan village, the guide's home, the writer met his relatives. They then continued on to Manding Gompa, where after many discussions with the lama and the village elders, Furchu secured permission for the writer to enter Tibet. The writer was allowed entry as a pilgrim, recognized for wearing Tibetan clothes, adhering to Tibetan customs, and speaking better Tibetan than most Nepalis. The chief lama bid them farewell, wishing to see them again after a year.
Next, they traveled along the banks of the Yangma River, though the snow-covered river was hard to distinguish. There was no sign of life anywhere. In this icy land, they ascended the Chang-chub-gya-la Glacier. Several times, Furchu carried the writer on his back. They reached a cave to spend the night, but due to the darkness, they couldn’t find the path and almost fell into the cracks in the ice. They survived and spent the night sitting on the rocks, starving, thirsty, and freezing, experiencing an unimaginable terrifying night.
The next day, the guide and porters, chanting mantras, began their journey again, carrying their loads. The day was bright, with the sun's golden light radiating from the Khangla Chan peak. No new snowfall had occurred. On the dangerous path, the guide used a stick to test the ice, creating safe spots for the others to step on. Several times, Furchu had to carry Lama Ugyen on his back.
After about an hour, they reached the highest point of the Khangla Chan. From there, all they could see was a sea of snow. The roar of avalanches could be heard in the distance. The towering white peaks touched the sky, and the writer felt his fear dissipate, replaced by an overwhelming sense of joy. He realized how deeply grateful he was to God for keeping him alive until then.
The next day, following the guide's footprints, they crossed the Darraje-Tag Range's mountains and descended to where rhododendron and juniper trees grew. For the first time in several days, the writer heard the sound of flowing water. Two days later, they enjoyed cooked rice and butter tea with great relief.
After further descending along the river's course, they passed through areas where the Chamris grazed. Occasionally, wolves attacked and fed on them. After another seven days of continuous travel, they finally reached Tashi Lhunpo on December 9. Along the way, they had rented two oxen for a mile-long journey.
The minister's representative invited Sarat Chandra Das with respect, addressing him as a scholar. In April 1882, the writer left Tashi Lhunpo for Dongtse, intending to go to Lhasa. After making all arrangements, he left Dongtse for Lhasa on May 12, 1882. The minister, having blessed him, warned him that the people of Lhasa were not as kind as those in Tashi Lhunpo, advising him to not stay there too long. He also cautioned that smallpox had spread in Lhasa. This time, Ugyen Lama and Furchung were not with him; he traveled with two new companions, Sering Tashi and Pador.
(To be continued)
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