In our article we want to talk about a significant 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 of grief…
Mount Kailash is the unfathomable mystery of Tibet and a place that attracts thousands of pilgrims. The highest peak in the region, surrounded by the holy lakes of Rakshas and Manasarovar, not conquered by climbers, it is worthy to see it with your own eyes.
Even outwardly, Mount Kailash differs from other peaks. It has the shape of a regular pyramid, the four faces of which face the cardinal points with a slight deviation. According to various sources, the height of Mount Kailash is in the range of 6638-6890 meters. But lovers of mysticism believe that the peak 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.
History of its formation is coveredsecret. According to myths, the mountain appeared five million years ago. However, scientists claim that its age is much less and is no more than 20,000 years. Some experts believe that Mount Kailash is man-made, the largest pyramid on earth. Such a statement allows us to make satellite photos as close as possible, on which in some places a monolithic slab 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 series 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 hid the mountain peak so that only the initiated could get to it. According to scientists, Kailash is the largest watershed in South Asia. Not far from it flow the Brahmaputra, Karnali and Indus rivers.
The melt waters of the Kailash glaciers fall into a lake called Langa-Tso, from which the Sutlej, a tributary of the Ganges, later originates. The southern slope of the mountain is divided by a deep crack, which is crossed by another horizontal one. At a certain angle, it seems as if a swastika has been painted on the mountain. Sometimes in some sources it is possiblemeet the name of Kailash as "mountains of the swastika".
Religious meaning
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:
- Hinduists, for example, believe that Shiva's abode is located on the top. And in the Vishnu Purana, the mountain is named as the city of the gods or the cosmic center of our universe.
- Yes, and in Buddhism, Kailash is the habitat of the Buddha, an extraordinary place of power and the heart of the world.
- Jains are generally very reverent about the mountain, because Mahavira, the first and greatest saint, gained insight on it.
- Bontsy consider Kailash the center of the concentration of vitality, the soul of the country and the place of concentration of traditions.
Mystery of the mountain
It is of interest not only to religious people. The mystery of Mount Kailash excites lovers of mysticism, historians and scientists. Each of these representatives put forward a variety of, sometimes fantastic ideas. We have already mentioned that the mountain is considered to be a pyramid erected by someone. There is also Muldashev's theory, according to which the stone mirrors of Kailash are the gates to the other world. And inside the mountains, ancient artifacts of mankind 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 in terms of the possibility of climbing it. There were incredibly many attempts to conquer Mount Kailash in Tibet. However, not a single ascent was successful. Many just don'twere able to reach the top. And those who nevertheless stepped onto the mountain told the most extraordinary stories.
How to get to Mount Kailash? A beautiful asph alt road leads to it. Of course, it is indirect and has curves. In the place where it passes the mark of 6666 meters, the high-quality coating abruptly turns into a cracked canvas. It is very difficult to move around in this area, as the air around becomes viscous and thick.
Unbelievable things happen to people who try to get to the mountain on motorcycles and bicycles:
- The speed of movement suddenly drops sharply, although the effort applied to the pedals does not decrease.
- Sudden breakdowns for no apparent reason.
- Vehicles stop working.
Time games
Some travelers make attempts to cheat the mountain. In the vastness of Tibet, to this day, they tell a legend about 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, the travelers were in tattered 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 declared crazy. All four died soon after. Surprising is the fact that travelers surprisingly quickly grew old, turning into deep old men.
Lovers of mysticismIt is believed that Kailash is the center of a 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 – Kor. All pilgrims know three of them - this is the outer route, Dakini, Nandi. But little-known routes are almost forgotten by the local population. One of them is Kailos Face Touch. There are also crossings over the Shapdzhe and Geo passes on the south side. Some paths are said to have been opened to pilgrims during meditation.
Kora – bypassing the shrine, in this case Kailos, counterclockwise. The process is done in different ways. The prostration method is the most popular among pilgrims. The traveler falls on his face, and then rises and puts his feet where his face was. This is how you move forward. This circumambulation can be done for 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:
- Collected sayings of the Buddha includes 108 volumes.
- Pilgrims do 108 prostrations during kora.
- The rosary of Buddhist monks has 108 beads.
Lakes
Near Mount Kailash (see photo in the article) there are two lakes - Rakshas Tal and Manasarovar. These reservoirs are antipodes. An interesting fact is that they are very close to each other. TwoThe reservoir is separated by a narrow edge of land and a channel. An ancient belief says that if water flows from Manasarovar into Rakshasa, then the energy is in balance.
Outwardly, 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 has the shape of a curved crescent, expanding on one side. The water in the lake is s alty, it contains a large amount of silver, which is why there is no fish here. Near the reservoir, the weather is always bad, and the surrounding landscape is dull. Yet the lake is considered sacred.
Bathing in such a dead pool allows you to cleanse the body. Bathing in the lake is performed by all pilgrims who pass the kora around Kailash. The water in it is icy and restless, it is in constant agitation due to the winds. In the center of the lake there is a small island on which a monastery is built. It is inhabited by monks. From the monastery you can get to the ground only when the reservoir freezes.
In Lake Manasarovar, bathing is done only after swimming in Rakshasa. Thermal springs are located nearby. Local residents have arranged wooden baths here. These baths have healing properties, so there are always a lot of people here who want to improve their he alth.
Nearby is a Buddhist monastery, which is located on top of a hill and is called Chiu Gompa, which means "little bird".
Death Valley
What is Mount Kailash hiding? Buddhists incredibly honor the 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 pure people can return from the Valley of Death, located near Mount Kailash (Tibet). All people who have evil thoughts, the valley destroys.
One great lama of Western Tibet believed that Kailash is an ordinary mountain, the history of which is covered with secrets and legends. People only see what they want to see on it. Even if miracles took place in this place, they were performed by people themselves.
Climbing history
People made repeated attempts to conquer Kailash. The first attempt was made in 1985. Officially, climbing is still prohibited. That year, climber Messner managed to get permission to climb from the local authorities. But at the very last moment, the traveler abandoned the ascent.
Another expedition arrived on the mountain in 2000. The Spanish climbers set up camp, but the pilgrims prevented them from reaching the summit. Many religious organizations spoke out against the ascent. Under public pressure, the climbers had to retreat. The same situation repeated itself in 2002.
The Russian expedition in 2004 managed to reach the mark of 6.2 thousand meters, but without special equipment the 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 the flight from Moscow is 11 hours.
- Also, you can fly to Lhasa by plane, from where you can take a bus to your destination.
Kailash is rightly considered one of the most interesting places in Tibet, where the energy of the cosmos is concentrated. This place is of particular interest to people who belong to different religions.
Tourist Tips
If you want to visit Kailash, then the trip should be planned correctly. Given the feedback from tourists, the following recommendations can be made:
- The best time to travel is from April to May. This is the dry season, so there is no snowfall or rain.
- 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 avoid he alth problems.
- Buying a climbing license is almost impossible. But to get access to views of the beauties of the mountain is quite real. It can be obtained from the Tibetan Autonomy Public Security Committee.
Instead of afterword
Kailash is an amazing place worthy of attention not only for pilgrims, but also for travelers. Since the mountain is closedfor climbing, you can visit it during excursions. Servants of local cults, who zealously guard it, will not allow approaching the shrine more than it should be. This creates an even greater halo of mystery around Kailash.
