In the far west of
Tibet is Mt Kailash (6658m/21,843ft), the most sacred mountain in Asia, venerated by
Buddhists, Hindus, and the ancient Bon religion of Tibet. For well over a thousand years, pilgrims have journeyed
Mt. Kailash
to pay homage to the mountain. Circumambulating it is an ancient
ritual of devotion that continues to this day. From it flow four great rivers - the Karnali, the Indus,
the Sutlej and the Brahmaputra - which drain the vast Tibetan
Plateau.
Pilgrims of several religions believe that circumambulating Mount Kailash
on foot is a holy ritual that will bring good fortune. Hindus and Buddhists make the peregrination in a clockwise direction.
Followers of Jainism and Bönpo religions circumambulate the mountain in a counter clockwise direction.
The path around Mount Kailash is 52 km (32 miles) long. Tibetans regard this mountain as the manifestation of Mount Meru, “the navel of the earth” where founder of Bon religion, Tonpa Shenrab, is believed to have descended from heaven, Hindus as the abode of Lord Shiva, Buddhists as the abode of Samvara and Jains as a scared site where their prophet, Rishaba attained spiritual enlightenment. The mountain itself is 6714m high and with its four
sheer walls and snow capped peak it is an awe-inspiring sight.
Only 30km from Mt Kailash is another important
pilgrimage site, the beautiful and serene Lake Manasarovar.
According to mythology it was formed in the mind of Brahma, and
Indian and Tibetan pilgrims can also be seen circumambulating this
lake, a distance of 90km.
Some pilgrims believe that the entire walk around Kailash should be made in a single day. Some of the devout do
accomplish this feat, little daunted by the uneven terrain, altitude sickness and harsh conditions
faced in the process. Other pilgrims venture into 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 knees, prays, and then crawls forward on hands and knees to the mark
made by his/her fingers before repeating the process. The mountain
is located in a particularly remote and inhospitable area of the
Tibetan Himalayas. A few modern amenities, such as benches, resting
places and refreshment kiosks, exist to aid the pilgrims in their
devotions. Pilgrims believe that setting foot on this mountain is a
sin. This could be a reason why this mountain is rarely climbed.
For further enquiry please feel free to mail us:
enquiry@AccessTibet.com
