In our article we want to talk about a symbolic place for any Buddhist. This is Mount Kailash in Tibet, or Kailash, as it is also called. The name of the mountain is translated from Tibetan as "Precious Snow Mountain". It is one of the highest points of the ridge located in the Gangdis system.
A bit about grief ...
Mount Kailash is the incomprehensible mystery of Tibet and a place that attracts thousands of pilgrims. The highest peak in the region, surrounded by the holy lakes Rakshas and Manasarovar, not conquered by climbers, it is worthy to be seen with my own eyes.
Even outwardly, Mount Kailash is different from other peaks. It has the shape of a regular pyramid, the four faces of which are turned to the cardinal points with a slight deviation. According to various sources, the height of Mount Kailash is between 6638-6890 meters. But lovers of mysticism believe that the summit is located at an altitude of 6666 meters, although there are no real facts that can confirm this. The main feature of the mountain is that it has not yet been conquered by any climber.
The history of her formation is shrouded in mystery. According to myths, the mountain appeared five million years ago. However, scientists argue that her age is much less and is no more than 20,000 years. Some experts believe that Mount Kailash is a man-made, the largest pyramid on earth. Such a statement allows satellite photos to be made as close as possible, in which in some places a monolithic plate is visible under the fallen off plaster. Such an assumption seems incredibly fantastic, given the impressive size of the object. But who could build such a pyramid and the entire mountain complex around it, consisting of a number of smaller mountains of various shapes and sizes, arranged in a spiral? Or maybe the whole complex is a giant crystal that accumulates energy from outer space?
Location
Where is Mount Kailash? It is located in the region of Western Tibet. This place is considered one of the most inaccessible. It seems as if someone carefully hidden the mountain peak, so that only the initiates could reach it. According to scientists, Kailash is the largest watershed in South Asia. The Brahmaputra, Karnali and Indus rivers flow nearby.
The meltwater of the Kailash glaciers fall into a lake called Langa Tso, from which the Sutledge, a tributary of the Ganges, subsequently originates from. The southern slope of the mountain is divided by a deep crack, which is crossed by another horizontal. From a certain angle, it seems as if a swastika is drawn on the mountain. Sometimes in some sources you can find the name Kailash, as "swastika mountains".
Religious significance
The name of Mount Kailash is mentioned in numerous religious treatises of Asia and ancient myths, and therefore it is considered sacred in four religions:
- Hindus, for example, believe that at the top is the abode of Shiva. And in Vishnu Purana, the mountain is named as the city of the gods or the cosmic center of our universe.
- And in Buddhism, Kailash is the habitat of the Buddha, an extraordinary place of power and the heart of the world.
- Jains in general are very kind to the mountain, because on it Mahavir gained insight - the first and greatest saint.
- Bonons consider Kailash a center of concentration of vitality, the soul of the country and a place of concentration of traditions.
Mystery of the mountain
It is of interest not only to religious people. The mystery of Mount Kailash excites mysticism lovers, historians and scholars. Each of these representatives put forward the most different, sometimes fantastic ideas. The fact that the mountain is considered a pyramid erected by someone, we have already mentioned. Muldashev’s theory also exists, according to which Kailash’s stone mirrors are the gateway to the other world. And inside the mountains, ancient artifacts of humanity are hidden from strangers.
Attempts to conquer Kailash
If religious people treat the mountain with special trepidation, then for those who do not believe in God, it is of interest from the point of view of the possibility of climbing it. Attempts to conquer Mount Kailash in Tibet were incredibly many. However, not one climb was successful. Many simply could not reach the top. And those who nevertheless stepped up the mountain told the most extraordinary stories.
How to get to Kailash Mountain? A beautiful asphalt road leads to it. Of course, it is indirect and has bends. In the place where it passes the mark of 6666 meters, high-quality coating sharply goes into a cracked canvas. It is very difficult to move around in this area, as the air around it becomes viscous and dense.
Unbelievable things happen to people who try to get to the mountain on motorbikes and bicycles:
- The speed of movement suddenly drops sharply, although the efforts exerted on the pedals are not reduced.
- Sudden breakdowns for no apparent reason.
- Vehicles stop working.
Temporary games
Some travelers attempt to trick the mountain. In the expanses of Tibet, to this day they tell the legend of travelers who wanted to conquer the summit in any way. Four Englishmen along with other pilgrims decided to climb the mountain, however, they went around, bypassing the usual path.
After some time, they returned to the camp. But at the same time travelers were in ragged clothes and heavily overgrown. Their behavior seemed completely inadequate. After the journey, the wanderers had to be sent to a psychiatric hospital. All of them were recognized as crazy. Soon, all four died. What is surprising is the fact that travelers surprisingly quickly grew old, turning into deep old men.
Fans of mysticism suggest that Kailash is the center of the spiral, inside which time is greatly accelerated, and outside - it slows down. Many travelers confirm this amazing time paradox.
Kailash bypass
There are only nine sacred routes - cor. All of the pilgrims know three of them - this is the external route, Dakini, Nandi. But little-known routes are almost forgotten by the local population. One of them is Touching the Faces of Kailos. There are also crossings through the Chapce and Geo passes from the south side. It is said that some paths were opened to pilgrims during meditation.
The bark is a bypass of the shrine, in this case Kailos, counterclockwise. The process takes place in many ways. The most popular method among pilgrims is the strike method. The traveler prostrates himself, and then rises and puts his legs where the face was. In this way, a forward movement is performed. Such detours can take place over several days with breaks for food and sleep.
The most zealous worshipers of religion honor the number 108, which has a sacred meaning in many religions, including Buddhism:
- Buddha's collection of sayings includes 108 volumes.
- During the bark, pilgrims make 108 prostrations.
- There are 108 beads in the rosary of Buddhist monks.
Lakes
Near Kailash Mountain (see photo in the article) there are two lakes - Rakshas Tal and Manasarovar. These ponds are antipodes. An interesting fact is that they are very close to each other. The two reservoirs are separated by a narrow land edge and a channel. The ancient belief says that if the water flows from Manasarovar to Rakshasa, then the energy is in balance.
Externally, the lakes are very different. Manasarovar has a rounded, slightly elongated shape. The water in the pond is fresh and clean, there are a lot of fish in it, and there are monasteries around. The nature around the lake pleases with brightness, birds gather here.
Rakshas Tal is shaped like a curved crescent moon expanding on one side. The water in the lake is salty, it contains a large amount of silver, which is why fish are not found here. Near the pond, the weather is always bad, and the surrounding landscape is dull. And yet the lake is considered sacred.
Swimming in such a dead pond allows you to cleanse the body. All the pilgrims who pass the bark around Kailas perform ablution in the lake. The water in it is icy and turbulent, it is in constant excitement due to winds. In the center of the lake there is a small island on which the monastery is built. It is inhabited by monks. From the monastery you can get to the ground only when the pond freezes.
In Lake Manasarovar, they perform ablutions only after bathing in Rakshasa. There are thermal springs nearby. Locals have arranged wooden bathtubs here. These terms have healing properties, so there are always a lot of people who want to improve their health.
Nearby is a Buddhist monastery, which is located on a hilltop and is called Chiu Gompa, which means "little bird".
Death valley
What is Mount Kailash hiding? Buddhists incredibly honor a place located on its northern side, the length of which reaches three kilometers. It ends at the glacier. Ancient beliefs say that yogis go here to die. Only very clean people can return from the Death Valley, located near Mount Kailash (Tibet). The valley destroys all the people who have bad thoughts.
One great lama of Western Tibet believed that Kailash is an ordinary mountain, the history of which is covered with secrets and legends. People see on it only what they want to see. Even if miracles took place in this place, people themselves performed them.
Climbing history
People have made repeated attempts to conquer Kailash. The first attempt was made in 1985. Climbing is officially prohibited to this day. In that year, the climber Messner managed to get permission to climb from the local authorities. But at the very last moment, the traveler refused to climb.
Another expedition arrived on the mountain in 2000. Spanish climbers set up camp, but the pilgrims did not allow them to climb to the top. Many religious organizations opposed the ascent. Under pressure from the public, climbers had to retreat. The same situation repeated in 2002.
In 2004, the Russian expedition managed to reach the mark of 6.2 thousand meters, but without special equipment, climbers had to retreat due to bad weather conditions.
How to get to the mountain?
To this day, in many countries Kailash is considered a shrine. She is revered in countries such as Nepal, China and India. Mount Kailash is visited not only by pilgrims, but also by ordinary tourists. How to get to the shrine:
- From the airport you can take a bus from Kathmandu. The duration of a flight from Moscow is 11 hours.
- In addition, you can fly to Lhasa by plane, from where you can reach the destination by bus.
Kailash is rightly considered one of the most interesting places in Tibet, in which the energy of space is concentrated. This place is of particular interest to people who belong to different religions.
Travel Tips
If you want to visit Kailash, then the trip should be planned correctly. Given the reviews of tourists, you can give the following recommendations:
- The best time to travel is from April to May. It is a dry season, therefore there are no snowfalls and rains.
- For acclimatization, you need to live at a lower altitude for several days. And only after that you can go to the mountain. Proper acclimatization will help to avoid health problems.
- Buying a climbing license is almost impossible. But to gain access to views of the beauties of the mountain is quite realistic. It can be obtained from the Tibet Autonomous Public Safety Committee.
Instead of an afterword
Kailash is an amazing place worthy of the attention of not only pilgrims, but also travelers. Since the mountain is closed for climbing, you can visit it during excursions. The servants of local cults, who zealously guard it, will not allow approaching the shrine anymore. This creates an even greater halo of mystery around Kailash.