Mount Kailash

Mount Kailash (officially: Kangrinboqê; ; ; ; ; Hindi कैलाश पर्वत, Kailāśā Parata) is a peak in the Gangdisê mountains, the source of some of the longest rivers in Asia—the Indus River, the Sutlej River and the Brahmaputra River—and is considered as a sacred place in four religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bön faith. The mountain lies near Lake Manasarowar and Lake Rakshastal in Tibet.

Names

The word Kailāśā means "crystal" in Sanskrit. The Tibetan name for the mountain is Gangs Rin-po-che, meaning "precious jewel of snows". Another local name for the mountain is Tisé () mountain. In the Jain tradition, the mountain is referred to as Ashtapada.

Religious significance

In Hinduism

According to Hindu mythology, Shiva, the God of destruction and regeneration, resides at the summit of a legendary mountain named Kailāśā. This Kailāśā is regarded in many sects of Hinduism as paradise, the ultimate destination of souls and the spiritual center of the world.

Some traditions also aver that the mountain is Shiva's linga and Lake Manasarowar below is the yoni of His consort. According to one description found in the Puranas, Mount Kailash is the center of the world, its four faces are made of crystal, ruby, gold, and lapis lazuli. It is the pillar of the world; is 84,000 leagues high; is the center of the world mandala; and is located at the heart of six mountain ranges symbolizing a lotus. The four rivers flowing from Kailash then flow to the four quarters of the world and divide the world into four regions.

The largest and most important rock-cut temple at Ellora in Maharashtra is named after Mount Kailash. Many of its sculptures and reliefs depict episodes relating to Shiva and Parvati, including the demon Ravana's attempt to shake Mount Kailash.

In Buddhism

The Tantric Buddhists believe that Kailash is the home of the Buddha Demchok (also known as Demchog or Chakrasamvara), who represents supreme bliss. It is said that Milarepa, champion of Tantric Buddhism, arrived in Tibet to challenge Naro-Bonchung, champion of the Bön religion of Tibet. The two magicians engaged in a terrifying sorcerous battle, but neither was able to gain a decisive advantage. Finally, it was agreed that whoever could reach the summit of Kailash most rapidly would be the victor. While Naro-Bonchung sat on a magic drum and soared up the slope, Milarepa's followers were dumbfounded to see him sitting still and meditating. Yet when Naro-Bonchung was nearly at the top, Milarepa suddenly moved into action and overtook him by riding on the rays of the sun, thus winning the contest and bringing Buddhism to Tibet.

In Jainism

The Jains who refer to the Kailash as Mount Ashtapada believe the founder of their faith, Rishabhadeva attained Nirvana at this place.

In Bon faith

The Bön, the religion which predates Buddhism in Tibet, maintain that the entire mystical region and the Nine story Swastika Mountain is the seat of all Spiritual power.

Pilgrimage

Every year, thousands make a pilgrimage to Kailash, following a tradition going back thousands of years. Pilgrims of several religions believe that circumambulating Mount Kailash on foot is a holy ritual that will bring good fortune. The peregrination is made in a clockwise direction by Hindus and Buddhists. Followers of the Jain and Bönpo religions circumambulate the mountain in a counterclockwise direction. The path around Mount Kailash is 52 km (32 mi) long.

Some pilgrims believe that the entire walk around Kailash should be made in a single day. This is not easy; a person in good shape walking fast would take perhaps 15 hours to complete the 52 km trek. Many of the devout do accomplish this feat, little daunted by the uneven terrain, altitude sickness and harsh conditions faced in the process. Indeed, some pilgrims venture a much more demanding regimen, performing body-length prostrations over the entire length of the circumambulation: The pilgrim bends down, kneels, prostrates full-length, makes a mark with his fingers, rises to his knees, prays, and then crawls forward on hands and knees to the mark made by his/her fingers before repeating the process. It requires at least four days of physical endurance to perform the circumambulation while following this regimen.

According to all religions that revere the mountain, setting foot on its slopes is a dire sin. It is claimed that many people who ventured to defy the taboo have died in the process.

The mountain is located in a particularly remote and inhospitable area of the Tibetan Himalayas. Few but those in the best health are able to undertake the journey even to the starting point of the circumambulation, leave alone walk 52 km in a single day. A few modern amenities, such as benches, resting places and refreshment kiosks, exist to aid the pilgrims in their devotions.

When the Chinese army entered Tibet in 1950, Tibet was closed off to the outside world and the pilgrimages ceased. However, following improvement in Sino-Indian relations in 1979, the government permitted pilgrimages to Mount Kailash to resume.

Following political disturbance and border disturbances across the Chinese-Indian boundary, pilgrimage to the legendary abode of Lord Shiva was stopped from 1959 to 1980. Thereafter a limited number of Indian pilgrims are allowed to visit the place, under the supervision of the Chinese and Indian governments. It is a lengthy and hazardous trek over the Himalayan terrain.

Alternatively, pilgrims travel by land from Kathmandu (also from Lhasa where flights from Kathmandu are available) to Tibet and thereafter travel over the great Tibetan plateau (ranging 10,000 to 16,000 feet) by car. It is a long journey with four night stops in camps/local settlements, finally arriving at Tarchen (4600 m) (said to be aberration of Sanskrit darshan).

Walking around the holy mountain (a part of its official park) has to be done on foot or pony; it takes three days of trekking starting from a height of around 15,000 ft to crossing the Dolma pass (19,000 ft) and encamping for two nights en route. First, near the meadow of Dirapuk gompa—2 or 3 km before the pass and second, after crossing the pass and going downhill as far as possible (viewing Gauri Kund in the distance).

References

Nomachi, Kazuyoshi. Tibet. Boston: Shambhala, 1997.
Thurman, Robert and Tad Wise, Circling the Sacred Mountain: A Spiritual Adventure Through the Himalayas. New York: Bantam, 1999. ISBN 0553378503 — Tells the story of a Western Buddhist making the trek around Mount Kailash.
(Elevation) Chinese Snow Map "Kangrinboqe", published by the Lanzhou Institute of Glaciology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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