|  Mt.
Kailash, 6,740 m (22,112ft) is situated to
the north of the Himalayan barrier. It is the perfect
mountain with awesome beauty with 4 great faces. It
is the spiritual centre for four great religions: Tibetan
Buddhism, Hinduism, the Jain religion and the pre-Buddhist
animistic religion - Bon-Po. For Tibetans; it is known
as Khang Rimpoche (Precious Jewel of Snow) and they
see it as the navel of the world. It is said that a
stream from the mountain pours into a nearby lake and
from here rivers flow in the four cardinal directions.
The River of the Lion Mouth to the North, the River
of the Horse Mouth to the east, the River of the Peacock
Mouth to the south and the River of the Elephant Mouth
to the West. Strangely four major rivers are indeed
originated near Kailash, the Indus, the Yarlung Tsangpo
(Brahmaputra), the Karnali and the Sutlej. Tibetans
believe that it is the residence of Demchog, a fierce
looking tantric deity who lives there with his consort,
Dorje Phagmo. For the Tibetans also, it is a particularly
special place in that their poet saint Milerappa, spent
several years here meditating in a cave.
For the Hindus Mount
Kailash is the earthly manifestation of Mt. Meru, their
spiritual centre of the universe. On the top, their
most revered God, Shiva and his consort Parvati.
For the Jains, an
Indian religious group, Kailash is the site where their
first prophet achieved enlightenment. For the older,
more ancient religion of Bon, it is the site where its
founder Shanrab is said to have descended from heaven.
It was formerly the spiritual centre of Zhang Zung,
the ancient Bon Empire that once included all of western
Tibet. Bon people walk around the mountain in a counter
clockwise manner, unlike the other religions.
Over the centuries
pilgrims have constantly journeyed immense distances
to achieve enlightenment or cleanse themselves of sin,
braving enormous distances, particularly harsh weather.
In fact, the entire
region of Mt. Kailash is of important religious significance
and includes the two turquoise-blue, pristine high-altitude
lakes of Mansarovar and Rakshesa. Nature lovers can
encounter numerous unusual species of birds, wildlife,
and flora here. This holy region is
known as center of the universe, attracting scholars
and researchers from all over. |
