Ghasa - Marpha (2670 m)

Early morning as usual doing puja, and our members of the trekking crew came to see what kind of puja we do, "ohh Vishnu pooja..." and they recieved Prasad and had they fun/surprise over us, as westerners doing puja and wearing vaishnava cloths.
while walking we met with some extraordinary pilgrims, two vaishnava saddhus. They walked from Vrindavan (uttar pradesh, India!!!) to visit Muktinath per foot. That trek took more then 3 month to complete, and now they where on the way back (coming from Muktinatha Ksetra) to walk the whole way back to Vrindavan. We ask them to bless us that we are able to visit Damodar Kund, as we both felt unqualified to go up to such a high altitude, and very sacred place. They blessed us, and went. I really felt the Hand of Lord Hari and that Saddhu over my head, and got convinced a bit that i may reach Damodar Kund safely.
We had to walk on this day for more then 9 1/2 hours, with again a lot of blasting on the way, and a very steep way up to a level of 2500 m. There you meet a checkpost for your permit to enter Mustang region the first time, and the army people where much surprised that we plan to visit Damodar Kund and warned us not to leave the pathway, and pray for a save journey... After this pass of 2500m you come to a village by name Kalopani, and there you will meet the Gandaki not anymore as a stormy, strong current river, but in a more then a 2km wide riverbed. From here you can walk inside the riverbed, and many pilgrims search here for Salagrama Silas allready. But in our time it started to rain like anything and we had to walk fast. I prayed that i might not step on any holy Salagrama while passing trough this riverbed.
Reached in Marpha the mountain area has again changed, to a more hilly vegetation. The sky became clear blue and the snow mountains gave darshan!
Marpha is famous for very sweet apples in autuum season, and everything what can be made from it (apple cake, apple wine etc..). The village as much improved from my last visit for 8 years ago, very clean, nice painted all houses and few shops with all kind of things you might need here. That was also our last phone call opportunity for the next 14 days, as after this place there is not much of facilities. The village is purely Buddhism, and has a very big Gompha (Temple monastry) inside the center on top of a mountain. We visited and sended our prayers around the world to all our friends and foe.... Jaya Sriman Narayanaaaaaaaaaaaaaa