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Chapter 02
Three Field Trip Reports
During 1995-96, I sought guidance from Acharya Shree Vijay Janakchandra Suriji and Acharya Shree Vijay Dharmadhurandhar Suriji. Both talked affirmative and blessed me. In 1997, I sought guidance from Rashtrasant Acharya Shree Padmasagar Suriji. The learned saint was very happy and satisfied with the findings and blessed me for further studies in this direction. I also approached Saint Jambuvijayji M.S. in November 2006 for his guidance and opinion. He opined Ashtapad is situated somewhere near Badrinath in Himalayan Range.
During my last four yatras, going further away from stipulated and regulated route, I have tried to explore any possibility of Kailash as Ashtapad. The particular place, I have visited and photographs-slides I have taken, shows excellent results inviting more study in that direction. There is a cathedral like chiselled mountain in front of south face of Mount Kailash. An image of sitting lion can be seen on its top. ("Sinh Nishadhya Prasad"). Vertical sculptures are visible on its middle part. A 'sitar' like musical instrument is also visible with one of the sculptures. The top of few mountains near this mountain are very identical. Their top are rectangular in shape in front. The mountains themselves are also identical and are of the shape of Gopurams. There is a Gokh (Zarookha) clearly visible in one of the mountain facing Nyari Gompa across the river. In the same range there is a sphinx like huge image in a mountain. Few cubicle shaped huge stones are lying in the area. Gear teeth shape marble stones are also seen in a pillar like shape in one of the mountains. Bevelled marble stone border is also visible in one of the hills. Chabutara shaped ruin is also seen at a place. All this shows that in the past, a large scale human work might have been done at this place. In Jain Religious Texts it is mentioned that huge temples, chaityas, stupas were erected in Ashtaped vicinity.
Is Mount Nandi Sinh Nishadhya Prasad ?
I was approached by India Today, India's most acclaimed magazine. They approached Shree Shatkari Mukhopadhyay, coordinator of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi, for second opinion on my findings. The learned authority has endorsed the possibilities. Please refer India Today dated 30-09-96. Page 158.
It would be fair to mention here that, at present also the saints in Jainism are competent enough in knowledge, but to visit that place is a difficult affair for them because of their rituals, like Gochari-Pani etc. Jain saints do not use any vehicle and to visit Kailash, which is in world's most thinly populated area, as also food arrangement for them is very difficult. I earnestly request
Shree Ashtapad - a possibility
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