Mount Kailash | Tibet | Luxe and Intrepid Asia | Remote Lands

 

Mount Kailash | Tibet | Luxe and Intrepid Asia | Remote Lands

 

Mount Kailash is the earthly manifestation of Mount Meru or Sumeru which is the spiritual centre of the universe according to Buddhist, Jains and Hindu cosmology.

 

Thousands of Buddhist, Jain, Hindu and Bonpo pilgrims circumambulate the foot of Mount Kailash that is 52km long. Mt Kailash is believed to be the Axis of the world that provides a connection between the earth and heaven  between the physical world and the spiritual worlds, the celestial centre of the world where heaven meets earth.

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Mansarovar

Mt Kailash | Tibet | Luxe and Intrepid Asia | Remote Lands

At 14,948 feet above sea level, Manasarovar is the highest freshwater lake in the world

Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva

 

1. Path to Heaven   2. Sacred for different religions  3. Kailash is a Pyramid 

4. Kailash mountain cannot be climbed  5. Unexpected Deaths of the Climbers 

6. Abode of Divinity  7. Energy Center of Earth  8. Aging Accelerates in the vicinity of Mount Kailash    

 

9. Kailash Himalayas Satellite View(the face of Lord Shiva smiling) 

10. Mystery of Mount Kailash [The Hindu symbol OM (ॐ)] 

11. Source of Major Rivers(Kailash Himalayas and Mansarovar Lake)

 

12. Underground Cities in Kailash Range(two underground dungeons Shambhala and Agartha)

13. Nature of the Twin Lakes (Mansarovar Lake the highest freshwater / Rakshas Tal Lake the saltwater body)

14. Birth Place of Lord Ganesha(the birthplace of Lord Ganesha,  Goddess Parvati framed Lord Ganesha)

15. Helicopters are Not Allowed above Kailash

 

Sacred Mountains - Satellite View of Mount Kailash, Tibet

Mount Kailash is a sacred mountain of the Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and the Bon.

 

All attempts to climb the Mount Kailash have failed.

The Unconquered Mountain: Kailash Parvat/Kangrinboqe Peak

 

Kailash Parvat/Kangrinboqe Peak

Kailash Parvat; The name ‘Kailash’ holds a profound meaning: ‘The mountain of the one who bestows peace.’ In this context, ‘Kailash’ signifies the Hindu God Lord Shiva, known as ‘the one who bestows peace.’ The term ‘Parvat’ translates to ‘Mountain.’

 

Kangrinboqe Peak; The name ‘Kangrinboqe’ carries a significant meaning in Tibetan, signifying ‘the holy mountain.’ This majestic peak holds immense importance for Buddhists, as it is considered a sacred and revered site in their faith.

 

Well, not only these two religions, but many more religions like Jains and Bonpos, hold great importance in their religion.

Climbing Mount Kailash is difficult owing to its pyramid-like appearance.

 

Mount Kailash

North face of Mount Kailash

Northern side of Mt Kailash (Tibet Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China).

 

 

 

Mount Kailash (also Kailasa; Kangrinboqê or Gang Rinpoche; Standard Tibetan: གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ; simplified Chinese: 冈仁波齐峰; traditional Chinese: 岡仁波齊峰; pinyin: Gāngrénbōqí Fēng; Sanskrit: कैलास, IAST: Kailāsa) is a mountain in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It lies in the Kailash Range (Gangdisê Mountains) of the Transhimalaya, in the western part of the Tibetan Plateau. The peak of Mount Kailash is located at an elevation of 6,638 m (21,778 ft), near the western trijunction between China, India and Nepal.

 

Mount Kailash is located close to Manasarovar and Rakshastal lakes. The sources of four rivers: Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra, and Karnali lie in the vicinity of the region. Mount Kailash is sacred in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon religion. People from India, China, Nepal and other countries in the region undertake a pilgrimage to the mountain. The pilgrimage generally involves trekking towards Lake Mansarovar and a circumambulation of Mount Kailash.

 

While the mountain has been surveyed by climbers in the past, there has been no recorded successful ascent of the mountain. The climbing of the mountain is prohibited by the Chinese government due to its religious significance.

 

Etymology

The mountain is known as "Kailāsa" (कैलास; var. Kailāśa कैलाश) in Sanskrit. The name could have been derived from the word "kelāsa" (केलास), which means "crystal".

 

In his Tibetan-English dictionary, Sarat Chandra Das states that 'kai la ca' (Wylie: kai la ca) from Sanskrit Kailāsa is used to denote the mountain.  The mountain is also called as Gang Rinpoche (Tibetan: གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་; simplified Chinese: 冈仁波齐峰; traditional Chinese: 岡仁波齊峰) or Gang Tise locally. Gang Rinpoche means "snow jewel mountain" with Kang (or Gang) being the Tibetan word meaning white mountain (snow peak) and rinpoche is an honorific meaning "precious one". Gang Tise means "mountain of ice or cool".

 

"Tibetan Buddhists call it Kangri Rinpoche; 'Precious Snow Mountain'. Bon texts have many names: Water's Flower, Mountain of Sea Water, Nine Stacked Swastikas Mountain. For Hindus, it is the home of the Hindu god Shiva...for Jains it is where their first leader was enlightened; for Buddhists, the navel of the universe; and for adherents of Bon, the abode of the sky goddess Sipaimen."

— Alice Albinia lists some of the names for the mountain, and its religious significance to various faiths

 

Geography and topography

Topography of the region with Mount Kailash in the background and Manasarovar (right) and Rakshastal lakes in the foreground

 

 

Mount Kailash is located in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It lies in the Gangdisê Mountains (also called as Kailash Range) of the Transhimalaya, in the western part of the Tibetan Plateau. The peak of Mount Kailash is at an elevation of 6,638 m (21,778 ft). The region is located north of the western tripoint of the border between China, India and Nepal.

 

The major rivers rising from the western Gangdise mountains are the Yarlung Tsangpo (which becomes the Brahmaputra), the Indus, the Sutlej and the Karnali, a tributary of Ganges. All these river systems originate within a 60 km (37 mi) stretch in the region. 

 

Mount Kailash is located on the banks of Manasarovar and Rakshastal lakes. Spread over an area of 320 km2 (120 sq mi), Manasarovar is the highest freshwater lake in the world.

 

Geology

The region around Mount Kailash are remnants of large ice sheets that covered the region during the Quaternary period, the last of which retreated about 10,000 years ago. The mountain might be a large metasedimentary roof pendant supported by a base of granite. The Indus headwaters area is typified by wide-scale faulting of metamorphosed late-Cretaceous to mid-Cenozoic sedimentary rocks interspersed with igneous Cenozoic granitic rocks. The Cenozoic rocks represent offshore marine limestones deposited before subduction of the Tethys oceanic crust. These sediments were deposited on the southern margin of the Asia block during subduction of the Tethys oceanic crust before the collision between the Indian and Asian continents. It also consists of sand dunes covering late Eocene volcanic forms interspersed with Cretaceous and Eocene sediments.

 

The Kailash flysch zone extends about 20 km (12 mi) from the mountain and marks the northern end of the Himalayas and the start of the Trans Himalayas. The Trans Himalayan range was formed by the subduction of sediments from the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates.The flysch zone consists of alternate areas of peridotites, sandy shales, and dolomites, covered by gravel terraces. The mountain itself consists of thick conglomerate rocks sitting on granite. The visible part of the conglomerates extend from 4,700 m (15,400 ft) to the top with the base located deeper in the mountain.

 

 

Mountaineering

Mount kailash from Barkha plain

Mount Kailash from the south

 

In 1926, Hugh Ruttledge, the deputy commissioner of Almora, visited the area to meet the Garpon (local Tibetan leader) of Ngari. As the Garpon was away, he circumbulated Mount Kailash while studying it. As per Ruttledge, the mountain was about 6,000 m (20,000 ft) high and utterly unclimbable. He thought about an ascent along the northeast ridge and had been exploring the area with Colonel R. C. Wilson, who was on the other side of the mountain with a Sherpa named Tseten. As per Wilson, Tseten told him that the southeast ridge represented a feasible route to the summit. Wilson explained that although they attempted to climb the mountain, they ran into heavy snowfall, making the ascent impossible.

 

Herbert Tichy visited the area in 1936, attempting to climb the mountain. When he asked the local people whether Kailash was climbable, a Garpon replied: "Only a man entirely free of sin could climb Kailash. And he wouldn't have to actually scale the sheer walls of ice to do it – he'd just turn himself into a bird and fly to the summit".  Italian mountaineer Reinhold Messner was given the opportunity by the Chinese government to climb the mountain in the mid-1980s. But he reportedly declined, saying "If we conquer this mountain, then we conquer something in people's souls. I would suggest they go and climb something a little harder."  In 2001, permission was denied to a Spanish team, who requested to climb the peak.  Chinese authorities promised that any climbing activities on Mount Kailash were strictly prohibited.  As of 2023, there have been no known successful ascents of the mountain.

 

Religious significance

Mount Kailash is considered sacred in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon religions.

 

Hinduism

An illustration depicting the Hindu holy family of Shiva at Kailasha (c.1810-1820)

 

 

In Hindu art and literature, the mountain is described as the abode of Shiva, who is depicted as residing there along with his consort Parvati and their children, Ganesha and Kartikeya.  In early Hindu depictions, Kailash was described as one of the mountains in the Himalayas.  In Hindu mythology, Mount Meru is considered as a stairway to heaven, where the devas reside and the Vishnu Purana states that it lies in the center of the world surrounded by six mountain ranges similar to a lotus, one of which is the Himalayas. In the later Hindu theology, Kailash came to be identified with Meru.  Shiva is described as sitting in a lotus position, engaged in meditation within the confines of the mountain.  Kailash and Mansarovar are mentioned in the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.

 

 According to the Hindu scriptures and sculptural depictions, the demon-king Ravana shook the mountain after he was refused entry to Kailash. This enraged Shiva, who pressed his toe upon the mountain, trapping Ravana in between. Ravana sang hymns in praise of Shiva for a thousand years before he was released.  This representation of Shiva is also referred to as Ravananugraha (meaning "form showing favour to Ravana").

 

Jainism

According to Jain scriptures, Rishabhanatha, the founder of Jainism attained moksha (liberation) on Mount Kailash.  It is believed by Jains that after Rishabhanatha attained nirvana, his son emperor Bharata had constructed three stupas and twenty four shrines of the 24 tirthankaras in the region with their idols studded with precious stones and named it Sinhnishdha.   He also performed a fortnight of worship termed Mahamaga and attained moksha from Kailash.  Large pits were dug around the mountain later and the River Ganges was made to flow through it.   As per Jain traditions, the 24th and the last Tirthankara, Mahavira, was taken to the summit of Meru by Indra shortly after his birth, after putting his mother into deep slumber. There he was anointed with precious unctions.

 

Buddhism and Bon

A Thangka depiction of Mount Kailash

 

As per Buddhist texts, Mount Kailash (Kailasa) is known as the mythological Mount Meru.  Kailash is central to its cosmology, and a major pilgrimage site for some Buddhist traditions.  In Buddhism, Kailash represents the father of the world and lake Mansarovar symbolizes the mother.  Numerous sites in the region are associated with Padmasambhava, who is credited with establishing Tantric Buddhism in Tibet in the 8th century CE.

 

 Vajrayana Buddhists believe that saint Milarepa (c. 1052 – c. 1135) had a challenge with Naro Böncham, a follower of Bön religion of Tibet.  The two engaged in a battle of wits with neither able to gain a decisive advantage. Finally, it was agreed that whoever could reach the summit of Kailash first would be the victor. While Naro sat on his magic drum to climb up the slope, Milarepa reached the summit riding on the rays of the Sun, thus winning the contest. He also gave the nearby mountain, since known as Bönri bequeathing it to Bön.

 

For the Bon people, the mountain is the abode of sky goddess Sipaimen and the mountain was the centre of the ancient Bon empire of Zhang Zhung. As per Tibetan beliefs, the mountain was the centre of the universe Mandala and the source of the mythical Lion, Horse, Peacock, and Elephant Rivers which flowed in the four cardinal directions.

Mani stones on the path around Mount Kailash