Wishing to Explore Wish-Granting Lake in Khaling (Dangling Tsho)
Khaling lies on the lateral highway of Trashigang-Sumbdrup Jongkhar. It is 54 km drive towards the south from Trashigang and it lies at an altitude of about 2300 m. The Gewog enjoys a temperate climate with warm summer and cold winter.
Dangling Tsho is located north of Khaling. It takes 8-9 hours hike from Khaling town. Every Autumn, hundreds of people seek blessings from Dangling Tsho. They believe that the deity would grant them healthy livestock and a bountiful harvest.
Legend says that Meme Dangling came with Brokpas of Merak and Sakteng from Tsonag in Tibet under the spiritual guidance of Am Jomo (a female guardian deity) of Merak and Sekten. It is being said that Meme Dangling is a brother of Abi Jomo.
In October 2001, I planned a day hike and asked my friends to refrain from eating meat, onion, and garlic two days before hiking. Orange juice and sweets helped to gear up for the walk at a high altitude. We started our journey at 4:30 am. As we climb up a very steep path through the beautiful meadows, scaringly though, we had an individual torchlight. We all wore gumboots as the track was not so good. We climbed half the way by then it opened a day-light. We rested in a beautiful place, had some juice, and sweets to prevent altitude sickness. We continued our journey and passed through the thick fir forest and trimmed tall trees. I briefed the dos and don’ts at the site because I have listened to some stories from my grandma.
When it was about to reach Dangling Tsho, we come across a small stream called (Thri-chu). It is fixed with a log bowl to collect the Thri-chu, and Brokpas drink water from it. It is located just below the footpath. It is said that visitors must wash hands, face, and nendar to resin once impurity (Drip). We did it as instructed by my grandma.
A few minutes’ walk from the Thri-chu site, we turned left and walked down for about three minutes to reach the Dangling Tsho. The lake is so beautiful, calm, and very clean. We made a fire and some friends collected the leaves of the juniper tree. We fumigated and lit the incense. We prostrated three times, prayed and sought Meme Dangling that no ill luck must befall upon our team. We made three circumambulations, offering Nendar. A few minutes later, we saw shining stars emerge from the lake like popcorns. We were thrilled as we enjoyed seeing the miraculous from the wish-granting lake. We had lunch and met few Brokpas and exchanged dialogues where my friends made fun since the tone of our dialect was peculiar. We all reached back to our stations safely at 3:30 pm.
If you wish to visit Dangling Tsho, you will have to halt a night at Khaling town, and you will get logging facilities. I suggest starting your journey early morning at 5:30 am to come back before the sunset. It is always wise to take pack lunch, enough water, sweets, and some other drinks and incense sticks, a matchbox, knife, and coins for Nendar. You will have to wear hiking boots as the path is very rough and muddy. You must start your journey towards the north of the town, passing through a mini-hydropower plant and have to climb the very steep slope. The path passes through beautiful meadows surrounded by beautiful trimmed tall and big trees, bamboos, and fragrant rhododendrons.
The best time for hiking is from October to November as the climate becomes suitable for the hikers. These months are ideal because the path is not bushy as the Brokpas migrate south from Merak and Sagten with the herd of cattle and sheep. You will also enjoy viewing the beautiful hurts and animals and conversing with Brokpas on the way. If you have leech phobia, I suggest taking some quantity of salt and pepper to prevent sticking to you. However, there will be few leeches in the Autumn but do not worry.
Remember that people visiting the lake are forbidden to take meat, fish, onions, and garlic. Should they do that, they invite calamity of windstorms and unprecedented rain, which destroy crops at Khaling and adjoining areas and bring ill-luck to the people of Khaling.
Kelzang
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