Mount Kailash And Their Top 13 Amazing Facts
Mount Kailash is also known as Kailasa and is located in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Mount Kailash is 6638 meters high around 21778 in feet above the sea level. Mount Kailash peak is located in the Kailash Range.
Mount Kailash is located near Manasarovar Lake and Rakshastal Lake, which is close to the source of some of the longest rivers in the Asian Continent such as the Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra, Ghaghara, etc.
Mount Kailash has a wide religious virtue and it is considered as one of the purest and chaste mountains in some religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Bon.
Mount Kailash is one such Mountain Peak which is still unclimbed even after lots of efforts by some world-class mountaineers who scaled Everest( Highest peak on Earth) but not able to scale Kailash. Some Mountaineers believe that they forget the direction when they reach the top, while some believe that some energy stops them to scale Kailash.
-: Etymology :-
“Tibetan Buddhists call it Kangri Rinpoche; ‘Precious Snow Mountain’. In Bon texts, it has many names such as Water’s Flower, Mountain of Sea Water, Nine Stacked Swastika Mountain. In Hindus text, it is the home of the Hindu god Shiva and it is also believed that Shiva resides in Kailasa; In Jainism text, 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.”
⇒ Mount Kailash is also known as Tise Mountain locally. And the word Ti se is derived from the ti tse in the Zhang-Zhung language which means “water peak” or “river peak”. Some rivers originate from Mount Kailash- Lake Manasarovar Region such as the Indus, Yarlunga Tsangpo/ Dihang/ Brahamputra, Karnali and Sutlej.-: Religious Significance:-
Mount Kailash Parbat has great significance in terms of religion. Mount Kailash is considered as the purest mountain peak and there is a belief that Lord Shiva resides in Kailash Parbat. Kailash Parbat is the home of Lord Shiva.
According To Hinduism:-
In Hinduism religion, it is traditionally recognized as the abode of God Shiva, who resides in Kailash with his consort wife Goddess Parvati and their children, Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya.
According to the epic Ramayana, it is said that Ravana attempted to uproot Kailasha and want to take Mount Kailash to Lanka as retaliation to Lord shiva who in turn pressed his toe upon the mountain trapping Ravana in between.
According to Mahabharata, it is said that Pandava brothers along with their wife Panchali trekked to the summit of Mount Kailash Parbat on their path to attain salvation because Mount Kailash is also considered as the Gate to Heaven, also termed as Swarg Lok.
According to Vishnu Purana, it is said that Mount Kailash Parbat has four faces and is made of ruby, gold, crystal, and lapis lazuli.
According To Jainism:-
According to Jainism Sculptures, ashtapada, it is believed that the mountain next to Mount Kailash Parbat is the site where the first Jain rishabhadeba, Tirthankara, attainted moksha.
According to Jainism tradition, it is believed that after Rishabhadeba attended moksha his son Bharat Chakravartin had constructed three stupas and twenty-four Tirthankaras.
According To Buddhism:-
According to the Buddhist Text, Mount Kailash is known as Mount Meru. And for Buddhism, it is one of the important pilgrimage sites.
According to some Buddhist texts, it is believed that it is the home of Buddha Chakrasamvara (who is also known as Demchok) who represents supreme bliss.
According To Bon:-
Bon is a religion that exists in the Tibet region. According to Bon Religion, Mount Kailash is known as the “nine-story swastika mountain”.
-: Geology Of Mount Kailash:-
- The region around Mount Kailash and the Indus (one of the tributaries of Kailash) headwaters area is typified by wide-scale dis-continuing of metamorphosed late Cretaceous to mid-Cenozoic sedimentary rocks which have been intruded by igneous Cenozoic granite rocks.
- Mt. Kailash also appears to be a metasedimentary roof pendant which is supported by a massive granite base. The Cenozoic rocks represent offshore marine limestones that are deposited before the subduction of the Tethys oceanic crust. These sediments were deposited on the southern margin of the Asian block during the subduction of the Tethys oceanic crust before the collision between the Indian and Asian continents.
-: Mountaineering In Mount Kailash:-
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Besides having a religious significance, Mount Kailash has a mountaineering significance also. Being one of the prominent mountain peaks in the Himalayan region, Mount Kailash is very much famous for trekking among mountaineers. And it is one such mountain which still remains unclimbed.
- In the year 1926, Hugh Ruttledge studied the northern face of mount Kailash Parbat, which he estimated was 6,000 feet (1,800 m) high above the sea level and “utterly unclimbable” and thought about an ascent of the northeastern ridge, but unfortunately, he ran out of time.
- Hugh Ruttledge had been exploring the area with Colonel R. C. Wilson, who was on the other side of the mountain with his Sherpa named Tseten. According to Colonel R.C. Wilson, Tseten told Wilson that, “‘Sahib, we can climb that!’ … as he also saw that this [the South-Eastern ridge] represented a feasible route to the summit.” Further excerpts from Wilson’s article in the Alpine Journal (vol. 40, 1928) show that he was serious about climbing Kailash Parbat, but Colonel Wilson said, “Just when I discovered an easy walk to the summit of the mountain, heavy snow began to fall, making the ascent impossible.”.
- Herbert Tichy was also present in that area in the year 1936, attempting to climb Gurla Mandhata. When he asked one of the Garpons of Ngari whether Kailash was climbable, the Garpon replied, “Only a man entirely free of sin could climb Kailash” where he meant that only person who can climb Mount Kailash Parbat who is free from any sin can only summit the Mount Kailash Parbat. 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.”
- When Reinhold Messner was given the opportunity by the Chinese government to climb in the mid-1980s but he declined.
- In the year 2001, according to the reports emerged that the Chinese government had given permission for a Spanish team to climb the peak, which caused an international backlash. Chinese authorities disputed the reports and stated that any climbing activities on Mt Kailash were strictly prohibited.
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Reinhold Messner, who condemned the reported Spanish plans, said: If we conquer this mountain, then we conquer something in people’s souls. I would suggest they go and climb something a little harder. Kailas is not so high and not so hard.
Why Mount Kailash Been Has Not Climbed Yet
As we know, Mount Kailash is the home to Lord Shiva as-built and gifted by King Himalayan, his father in law, according to the Hindu Mythology. And it is also said that Lord Shiva is residing in Kailash Parbat ever since with his beloved wife Goddess Parbati and children Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya.
The location of Mount Kailash is very much remote from human civilization and is equally and significantly described in Hindu Mythology with accuracy. Mount Kailash has two lakes Manasarovar Lake and Rakshastal Lake. The Manasarovar lake is also described as, the lake of life and its mirror lake, while Rakshastal lake is described as the lake of Amrit lake, the lake of death. Both located in the proximity of Mount Kailash with hardly a km of land dividing them has the biggest mystery. One is a freshwater lake, which is circular representing SUN and other being the saltwater crescentic shaped lake representing the MOON. (the Good and Devil, Life and Death ). It is believed that when someone visits near Manasarovar lake then one is filled with positive energy while on the other hand when one visits near Rakashastal lake one is filled with demotivation and with negativity.
As we know, Mount Kailash being gifted to Lord Shiva by his father in law King Himalayan, Mount Kailash is now discussed as the biggest HUMAN made Pyramid. (yet to be proved ). And If this is true, then the Hindu mythology about Lord Shiva is also true and everything about Mount Kailash hence is spiritual and true. All the pyramids are related and viewed as interlink with other dimensions, after life world and heavens. Mount Kailash is also considered as the gateway to other worlds. And If Mount Kailash is a pyramid, it could be a link to all civilizations being started with one. Hinduism is regarded as the oldest religion.
» Mount Kailash is considered chaste and pure not only in one religion but in many religions such as:-
(1) Hinduism
(2) Jainism
(3) Buddhism
(4) Bon
Lord Shiva is regarded as the ADIYOGI, the greatest YOGI in the universal acceptable term. ( He is also considered as the supreme god in HINDUISM and one of the THREE deities among Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. Another name of Lord Shiva is Mahesh ) .
Some of the reasons why Mount Kailash is unscalable
1. Due to Spiritual beliefs :-
Mount Kailash is very important to Hinduism and other religions also, Being the home of Lord Shiva and his message not to ascend, his followers won’t ascend and won’t allow others to ascend. And It is the same for people from other religions such as Buddhism, Bon, and Jainism.
As a belief, the person devoid of sin, or a person with a clear heart can scale Mount Kailash. It is also said that the person with a clear heart, needs not to ascend physically but he will eventually turn into a bird and ascend the top. This might be considered as sarcasm with deep meaning. This means, people with a clear heart, without sin, whom we call, Yogi can summit only.
2. Political :-
It is located in the Tibet region, China. China once permitted to climb it but received global criticism for giving permission and hurting the sentiment of people who regard Mt. Kailash as a sacred place. China does not want any bad words from the globe, especially about the geopolitical topic. So that is why china stops permitting to scale.
3. Geographical :-
Mount Kailash is considered very hard to ascend. The steep slope makes it hard to ascend. Changing climatic conditions is also one of the major reasons behind that.
4. Fear and Speculations of Mystic Power :-
Fear is the greatest reason and fear of death might be the biggest reason. Also, the sins of stepping foot in Mount Kailash not only in this life but also continues afterlife.
5. As challenges:-
Other expeditions are far challenging and adventurous to climb. Mt. Annapurna for Example in Nepal, Mount Karakoram (K2), Nanga Parbat, etc.
In this region, the visitors are under surveillance and any authorized ascend is nearly impossible. After the Ban from the Chinese government to ascend Mount Kailash, it even impossible to attempt to climb.
Some of the statements are given by some re-known mountaineers in this context are given as follows:-
1. According to Colonel Wilson :-
One of the many mountaineers who tried to climb the summit of Mount Kailash Parbat states that “Just when I discovered an easy walk to the summit of the mountain, heavy snow began to fall, making the ascent impossible.”
2. According to Sergei Cistiakov :-
A Russian climber states not being able to finish the summit– “When we approached the foot of the mountain, my heart was pounding”. I was in front of the sacred mountain, Mount which says it cannot be beaten. I felt extremely emaciated and suddenly I became captivated by the thought that I do not belong on this mountain, it must necessarily come back! As soon as we started the descent, I felt liberated.
13 Facts About Mount Kailash Parbat
» Some of the top 13 Amazing facts about Mount Kailash Parbat are as follows:-
(1) Every year, many pilgrims visit Tibet for the pilgrimage to the holy Mount Kailash. Some make it to the region and some manage to reach the hallowed peak. As for climbing up the summit, some daring mountaineers have attempted to do so, but unfortunately, none of them succeeded.
(2) According to the Hinduism and some other religious scriptures, around the Mount Kailash exist ancient monasteries and caves wherein the holy sages reside in their material and subtle bodies. These caves can be seen by only a few fortunate ones who are free from any sin and their heart is pure.
(3) At the base of Mount Kailash Two very beautiful lakes, namely Manasarovar Lake and Rakshas Tal lake, are situated. Of the two, Manasarovar, which lies at an altitude of 14, 950 ft, is considered the highest freshwater body in the world. And it is believed and also feel by some people that when they visited Manasarovar lake they feel positive and highly motivated while on the other hand when they visited rakshas tal lake they feel highly de-motivated and negativity. Mansarovar has a deep spiritual significance, while its antithesis, Rakshas Tal, was born of the intense austerities performed by the demon King Ravana to please Lord Shiva. For its close association with a demoniac entity, the Rakshas Tal Lake is endowed with salty water and deprived of aquatic plant life and marine life.
(4) It is believed that Mount Kailash to be the Axis Mundi aka the cosmic axis, world axis, world pillar, the center of the world, the world tree. It is the point where heaven meets earth. And it is also considered as the center of the earth maybe this is the reason why compasses don’t work at the top of the peak.
(5) It is believed Mount Kailash is a home Lord Shiva and his wife Goddess, Parbati, so Hindu supporters won’t scale the mountain and won’t enable others to ascent. With different religious convictions connected to Mount Kailash, such as Buddhism, Jainism, and Bon won’t permit too. Jains consider the Kailash as the site at which their first Tirthankar accomplished nirvana.
(6) It is also believed that one who climbs Mount Kailash’s age increases quickly. The time that human takes to age two weeks only take 12 hours in the Kailash. Many Hikers stated that they feel like their nails and hairs are developing very fast within 12 hours.
(7) Mount Kailash is shorter than Mt. Everest (which thousands have scaled) than also No one has reached the summit of Mount Kailash so far. Many mountaineers claim this to be the bidding of supernatural forces, while scientists are left baffled. Many attempts have been made to get to the peak, but almost all of them were failed by extreme weather conditions the moment they set foot on the mountain top, almost like the mountains didn’t want people to climb it. Several other mountaineers also claim that once on the mountain, navigation becomes impossible as directions become confusing, some even going as far to say that the mountain and it’s supernatural forces twist and turn directions.
(8) Mount Kailash isn’t just sacred to one religion, as it is believed the site at which Jain religion first prophet received enlightenment. Jains have a different name for this peak and they called mount Kailash as Astapada, and they believe that the first of the twenty-four Tirthankaras, Rishaba, achieved moksha in Kailasha.
(9) It believed that the only person to ever reach its holy peak was a Tibetan Buddhist Yogi, Milarepa, in the 11th century.
(10) The early settlers of this region, who followed the religion of Bon, maintain that the mountain and the area around it are very pure. They called it the Nine Storey Swastika Mountain, and it was the seat of all power.
(11) When Mount Kailash is viewed from the south face direction, a swastika can be seen. And this can also be the major reason why people considered Kailash as the most sacred place.
(12) Mount Kailash is considered as The Yam Dwar, the starting point for those who want to reach the mountain, which means, the “gateway of the God of death”. And it is also believed that one who is free from all kinds of sins for them as they reach to its summit they attain salvation or paradise.
(13) It is also believed that why people cannot be reached to the top of the mountain because it keeps changing its position and this is the reason given by mountaineers who tried themselves hard to scale but could not able to scale.
Conclusion
“An eye into the infinite lie
This stoic and profound stimuli
Is peep into the cosmic lie
Truth is only the impetus to know the lie
That which is, is but a sham
That which is not is supreme
Who you are, an empty dream
That which you not is life’s cream
Cream, not of churning stream
But of all-consuming shivam”.
——– By Sadhguru
As we know Mount Kailas is considered as the most sacred place in this world as well as the oldest mountain of the Himalayan range. Every year, many pilgrims visit Tibet for the pilgrimage to the holy Mount Kailash. While Some make it to its base and some dare to reach the hallowed peak. As for climbing up the summit, some daring mountaineers have attempted to do so, but unfortunately, none of them succeeded. And mount Kailash is the only Himalayan peak that is not scaled yet. It is also believed that why people cannot be reached to the top of the mountain because it keeps changing its position and this is the reason given by mountaineers who tried themselves hard to scale but could not able to scale. It is also believed that it is the point where heaven meets earth.
And it is also considered as the center of the earth maybe this is the reason why compasses don’t work at the top of the peak. But according to Hinduism and some other religious scriptures, around the Mount Kailash exist ancient monasteries and caves wherein the holy sages reside there. These caves can be seen by only a few fortunate ones who are free from any sin and whose heart is pure. And it is also believed that one who is free from any sin and their heart is pure can only reach the top of Mount Kailas. At the base of Mount Kailash Two very beautiful lakes, namely Manasarovar Lake and Rakshas Tal lake, are situated. Of the two, Manasarovar lake, which lies at an altitude of 14, 950 ft and is considered as the highest freshwater lake in the world. And it is believed and also feel by some people that when they visited Manasarovar lake they feel positive and highly motivated while on the other hand when they visited rakshas tal lake they feel highly de-motivated and negativity. Mansarovar has a deep spiritual significance, while its antithesis, Rakshas Tal, was born of the intense austerities performed by the demon King Ravana to please Lord Shiva. For its close association with a demoniac entity, the Rakshas Tal Lake is endowed with salty water and deprived of aquatic plant life and marine life.
Besides this, there are lots of beliefs associated with mouth Kailash. In, at last, I would also like to say that journey towards Mount Kailash is the journey of soul, not body. And if possible, one should get time from their busy schedule and visit once and feel the beauty of nature. Mount Kailash yatra teaches us a lot of things. When one goes there when one goes on a journey that is both outwards as well as inwards. One can introspect his soul, once life’s purpose, and once one returns, one come back with Kailash within one. That is why it is called the journey of the soul.
