Mount Kailash's Sanskrit name means 'heaven of Shiva', and it is a sacred mountain in four religions. For centuries,Mount Kailashhas also been also a mecca for adventurous explorers, but it has never been climbed.
What are interesting facts about Mount Kailash? We've collected some mystical answers andamazing factsabout outstandingMount Kailashfor your information. Maybe you'll consider coming to see it for yourself...
1. Mount Kailash is 6,656 meters high.
Mount Kailashis a mere6,638meters (21,778 feet) above sea level, the most famous peak of the Kailash Mountain Range. It is thesecond tallestpeak in the Kailash Range, but the most isolated. The tallest one,Lunpo Gangriwith an altitude of 7,095 meters(23,278 feet), has less prominence.
Mount Kailash has the mostsnow coverof the Kailash Range peaks, which lasts all year round. Its snow-capped peak shining in the sunlight makes it stand out from the surrounding mountains, and its singularity has no doubt led to its religious status.
Mount Kailash has the most snow cover of the Kailash Range peaks
2. Mount Kailash is a virgin (unclimbed) mountain.
Mount Kailash is more than2,000 meterslower than the world's highest peak,Mount Everest.However, no one has ever climbed to Mount Kailash's summit. Allclimbingplants have been abandoned due to government prevention, religious pressure, or personal conviction.
For example, inHinduismorTibetan Buddhism, Mount Kailash is a sacred mountain where a deity resides (Shivaor Demchok). Climbers would be perceived to disturb the sanctity of the mountain.
3. Kailash is a sacred mountain for four religions.
Mount Kailash is the sacred mountain for fourreligions: Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, Bön, and Jainism. They have different beliefs and gods, but they all think that recognize it as"the center of the world"and regard it as their holy mountain.
In Hinduism: In Hindu mythology, Mount Kailash is said to be an abode whereLord Shiva(the principal deity) lived with his consort Parvati.
InTibetan Buddhism: Tibetan Buddhists believe that Kailash is the residence ofShengle Vajra(the Buddha Cakrasamvaraor Demchok) who represents endless happiness.
In Jainism: According to Jain scriptures, Mount Kailash is the site where the founderRishabhadevawas liberated.
In Bön: This religion that originated in the Kailash region regardsMt. Kailashas a ladder for the gods to descend to earth and ascend to heaven. They believed there were360 Gods of Bonresidents in the mountain.
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4. The top of Mount Kailash is a pyramid.
Observers theorized that thetop of Mount Kailashwas a huge ancient manmadepyramidrather than a mountain. According to preliminary estimates, the direct height of the pyramid is 1,800 meters (5,900 feet), compared with up to 146 meters 480 feet) in Egypt.
Scientific investigation shows thatMt. Kailashisnot amanmadepyramid, but a naturalpyramid landform. Under the erosion of ice and snow, the mountain was formed in astepped shapelike that of a pyramid.
5. There is a mysterious swastika symbol (卍) on Kailash's south face.
The early settlers, those of theBonfaith, in the Kailash region call Kailash 'Nine-Story Swastika Mountain'. Theswastika是一个ancient icon in the Bon religion.
On itssouthern slope, you can see a (partial)left-facingswastika symbol(卍), formed by shadows of the huge vertical ice fissures and horizontal rock layers as the sunsets. The bottom half is quite clear; the top half is less clear above the snow line.
Theleft-facingswastika is a symbol of spiritual power inMahayanaTibetan BuddhismandBonbeliefs representing eternal existence, auspiciousness, and protection.
6. Great (holy) rivers originate from the Kailash Range.
TheKailash-Manasarovararea is the source (of major tributaries) of three famous rivers in South Asia.
There are more than 250glaciersin the Kailash Range whose melt waters flow into the mythical Lion, Horse, Peacock, and Elephant rivers. In fact, they are theupper reaches(major tributaries) of theIndus, Ganges (Karnali), and Brahmaputra.
They run through thousands of kilometers west, south, and east, and then return (as their waters come from Indian Ocean monsoon winds) to the same destination — theIndian Ocean.
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7.神奇的功能,凯拉什的南部face.
Thesouth sideof a mountain (in the northern hemisphere) gets moresunlight, so there should be less snow on its southern slopes than that on the north face. Quite contrary to this, the south face ofMt. Kailashis covered with glaciers andsnow all year round, but the north side has relatively little snow.
This natural wonder is due to thegeographical locationand climate of Kailash. The southern slope of Mount Kailash faces the Indian Ocean from which the summermonsoonbrings abundant annual precipitation. Themoist air超越南坡容易形成雪,but on thenorthern side,the air is relativelydry.
8. Mt. Kailash is the Axis Mundi (spiritual axis ) of the Earth.
在印度教、佛教和耆那教的神话中,神圣力量h is regarded as theaxisof Earth (Axis Mundi in Latin) or thecenterof the world. This axis is believed to be the point where heaven meets earth.
Mt. Kailash is therefore a sacred place for pilgrims tomeditateand make aconnectionbetween the physical and spiritual worlds.
9. Kailashhas no Helicopters.
China permitsno helicopteraccess toMount Kailash. On theNepalside, you can take a helicopter from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu to a helipad near the GyirongNepal-China border, and then go to Mount Kailash by land transfer.
See more abouthow to get to Mt. Kailashandenter Tibet from Nepal
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10. Tibetans prostrate themselves every few steps on a Kailash pilgrimage.
Tibetanpilgrimsbelieve that a pilgrimage to the holy mountain can wash away the curses of their life. Pilgrims making aKailash kora(a trek around Kailash) are expressing their worshipto the sacred site and the deities believed to reside there.
It is said that walkingten circlesaround the mountain can save them from the suffering of hell, while those walking ahundred circuitsof Kailash can attain Buddha-hood and ascend to heaven in this life.
In ayear of the Horse, (when Sakyamuni was born)a circuit around the mountain is believed by Buddhists to be equivalent to13 circuitsin other years.
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11. Kailash pilgrims can bathe in Lake Manasarovar.
Lake Manasarovarsits south of Mount Kailash. It is apilgrimage siteas well.Hinduswalk around the holy lake as part of their pilgrimages. Hindus also believe that abathin the holy lake can wash away the sins of a lifetime.
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12. Kailash is an area of unsolved mysteries!
These three Kailash mysteries have been investigated but their results are still inconclusive.
- Accelerated growth: When around Mt. Kailash, trekkers have found their bodies grew faster as if cell division was accelerating. During their time in the area, the growth of their hair and nails was significantly accelerated.
- The monster Qiemo: Qiemo means 'savage' in Tibetan. Evidence of Qiemo (Kailash's "Yeti") appears once or twice a year in the Kailash region, reported by local herdsmen who have found a series of strange footprints.
- Ghost Lake: There are two lakes south ofMount Kailash. Manasarovar, a freshwater lake, is known as the holy lake and is "shaped like the sun" (actually a heart), whereas a saltwater lake just 3 km (2 miles) away,Lake Rakshastalis known as the"ghost lake" or "demon lake" and is "shaped like a crescent moon" (actually a monster). Themysteryis how two lakes so close together can be so different: bitter-sweet they represent a spiritual yin-yang contrast.
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