What does Mount Kailash hide? Mount Kailash in Tibet: what are they hiding from us? Where is Kailash?

Mount Kailash or, as it is also called, Kailash - a striking, motionless peak in the distant southwestern corner near Tibet in the Himalayas, in China. Its height is 6638 m (21778 ft) it is one and from the highest parts of the Himalayas and is the source of some long rivers in Asia.

This sacred symmetrical peak is made up of the black Kailash rock and has a beautiful diamond-like mountain shape that is surrounded by beautiful landscapes. The four ribs of Kailash correspond almost exactly to the cardinal directions, and the cracks on its southern side are shaped like a swastika - a Buddhist symbol of spiritual power.

Mount Kailash is known as one of the most sacred mountains and an important place of pilgrimage for four faiths at once: Buddhists, Jains, Hindus and for followers of the Tibetan religion Bon. Every year, many people from all over the world make a pilgrimage to the sacred Mount Kailash and walk around it. This has been happening for thousands of years.

It is believed that visiting Kailash will bring good luck and wash away all the sins of life .However, make a journey of 52 km. walking in one day is not so easy, and you need to be strong both physically and mentally. Usually people circumambulate the sacred mountain in 3 days. Hindus use the term parikrama to refer to their pilgrimage and call Mount Meru. Tibetans perform kora. But both words mean the same thing – pilgrimage.

Hindus and Buddhists walk clockwise, but Jains and Bon followers walk counterclockwise


Pilgrimage is an attempt to cleanse the soul and open the mind. Become more sensitive to the breath of Life and take at least one step towards liberation from the shackles of our world. Having once completed the kora around Mount Kailash, a person is cleansed of sins for life.

According to Hindu legend, Shiva - the god of destruction and rebirth, is located at the top of Kailash . Kailash, in many sects of Hinduism, is the sky - the final destination of the soul and the holy center of the world. As the Puranas tell, Mount Kailash has four faces made of crystal, ruby, gold and lapis lazuli. Referred to as a pillar of the world that rises 84,000 leagues.

Kailash is the source of four main rivers: Indus, Brahamputra, Karnali and Sutlej, which stretch to the four cardinal directions and divide the world into four regions. Tibetan Buddhists believe that Kailash is the birthplace of Demchok Buddha, who symbolizes supreme harmony.

Followers of the Tibetan Bon religion believe that Mt. Kailash is the abode of the Sky Goddess Sipaimen (Sipaimen). Jains call the mountain Ashtapada and believe that this is the place where freedom from rebirth was achieved by the creator of their faith, Rishabhadeva.

Some pilgrims believe that the kora around Kailash should be completed within one day. It is not easy. A person in good shape and walking briskly will take about 15 hours.

Some of the devout are prevented from accomplishing this feat by fear of uneven terrain, as well as mountain sickness and difficult conditions during the pilgrimage. Kailash is located in particularly remote and inhospitable areas of the Tibetan Himalayas.

Few modern amenities like benches, rest and recuperation areas, kiosks exist to help pilgrims in their devotion.

According to followers of all religions that revere mountains, stepping onto its slope is a great sin. Legend claims that many people who dared to challenge the taboo died in the process. Could this be another reason why the mountain did not rise?

Following the entry of the Chinese army into Tibet in 1950 and changes in political boundaries, pilgrimages to the “Abode of the Gods” were stopped from 1959 to 1980. After this, a limited number of Indian pilgrims were allowed to visit the site, under the guidance of the Chinese and Indian governments, or a long and dangerous trek through the Himalayan terrain.

18 miles southeast of Kailash is the round turquoise lake Mansarovar or Tso Rinpoche (precious lake ). Bathing in the lake or pouring holy water over one's head is said to bring great spiritual benefits to those who can withstand the icy water, which has miraculous powers. Hindus say that complete immersion in the lake guarantees that a person will be reborn as a god.

The first group is being recruited to Kailash in 2020: in addition to the crust around Kailash, you will see the North Face of Everest, beautiful lakes, Old Kingdom Guge, the Garuda Valley and the rarely visited ancient cave complexes in Western Tibet - Dungkar and Piyang. Route . Arrival in Lhasa on April 26, 2020. Unique tour to Kailash Kora with a Russian guide! Join us!

Mount Kailash (Kailash) - Jewel of the Snows, the center of the universe, the abode of Shiva and Buddha Shakyamuni in the guise of the wrathful deity Chakrasamvara, the patron of one of the highest tantras of Vajrayana Buddhism. There is a belief that if you walk around the sacred mountain 108 times, you can achieve enlightenment.

Kailash has attracted ascetics, yogis and pilgrims for many centuries. Nowadays, more and more people are interested in traveling to this peak. And it’s not just the unusual tetrahedral shape of the mountain, reminiscent of an artificially built pyramid, but rather the fact that Kailash is a shrine for millions of representatives of four religions: Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Bonpos. Every year, thousands of pilgrims make a sacred circumambulation around Kailash, offering prayers and performing religious practices.

Geography

Mount Kailash is located in the Tibetan province of Ngari in Western Tibet, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Kailash is one of the peaks in the Gandissa mountain system (冈底斯山脉pinyin: gangdisi shanmai), located in the south of the Tibetan Plateau and running almost parallel to the Himalayas.

Kailash is the highest mountain peak in its area (6714 meters / according to other sources 6638 meters), which also differs in appearance from neighboring mountains with its tetrahedral pyramidal shape, oriented to the four cardinal directions. In the Kailash region, the four main rivers of Tibet, India and Nepal originate and spread to the cardinal points: the Brahmaputra in the east, the Indus in the north, the Sutlej in the west, and the Karnali (a tributary of the Ganges River) in the south.

Name

Kailash is known by many names. The most common name in Russian Kailash is the name of the sacred mountain in Sanskrit. It is also quite common to write Kailash.

So which is correct: Kailash or Kailash? - Both options are correct, since both spellings are found in ancient Indian texts - both with the sound “s” at the end and with the sound “sh”:

  • कैलाश Kailāśa (“Kailasha”) and केलास Kailāsa (“Kailasa”). It should be noted that modern India now says "Kailash", while "Kailas" is perhaps a more authentic name, for such a spelling is found in the ancient Indian epic "Mahabharata".
  • In Tibet, the most popular name for the peak is Kang Rinpoche(གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ wylie: gangs rinpoche), which translated means “Snow Jewel” or “Precious Snow Peak”. In classical texts the peak is called Kang Tise(གངས་ཏི་སེ wylie: gangs tise) or simply Tise (ཏི་སེ wylie:tise).
  • Followers of the Provobuddi religion of Tibet Bon call this sacred mountain Yundrung Gutsek (གཡུང་ དགུ་ བརྩེགས བརྩེགས wylie: gyung drung dgu brtsegs), which means "nine -story Mountain of the Swastika."
  • IN English language the most common name for a peak isKailash, originating from Sanskrit.
  • The Chinese names for Kailash are derived from the Tibetan ones: Gan Renboqi(冈仁波齐 pinyin: gang renboqi) from the Tibetan name Kang Rinpoche and Gandhisishan(冈底斯山 pinyin: gangdisi shan) from Tibetan Kang Tise. Also, Kailash in Chinese is popularly called simply “sacred peak” - Shenshan(神山 pinyin: shenshan).

Kailash in world religions

Mount Kailash is sacred to representatives of four religions: Buddhism, Bon, Hinduism and Jainism. For Buddhists, Kailash is the abode of Shakyamuni Buddha in his wrathful form. For Hindus, it is the abode of Shiva, the destroyer of illusions. For Jains, Kailash is sacred as the place where their first saint, Adinatha, achieved enlightenment. Followers of the Bon religion believe that from here the founder of the religion, Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche, descended from heaven to earth.

Despite the fact that believers of these four religions have different interpretations of the significance of Kailash, they all consider this peak to be the most sacred place, the “heart of the world,” the axis of the universe (Latin axis mundi), connecting heaven and earth, through which a practitioner can contact higher powers.

Kailash in Buddhism

For Tibetan Buddhists, Kailash is the abode of Shakyamuni Buddha in the form of the wrathful deity Korlo Demchog (འཁོར་ལོ་བདེ་མཆོག་ wylie: ‘khorlo bde mchog) or Chakrasamvara in Sanskrit. Demchok is depicted in conjunction with the spiritual consort Dorje Pakmo (རྡོ་རྗེ་ཕག་མོ wylie: rdo rje phag mo) or Vajravarahi. Their union is a symbol of the unity of emptiness and bliss (བདེ་སྟོང་དབྱེར་མེད wylie: bde stong dbyer med). Diligent spiritual practice is the only way to know this symbol.

For Buddhist followers of the Lesser Vehicle (Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, etc.), Kailash is a place that Buddha Shakyamuni himself sanctified along with 500 arhats, emanating himself in the Kailash area.

After Shakyamuni Buddha, Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, an 8th century AD Buddhist master revered as the second Buddha, meditated here. He left behind terma treasures in the rocks around Kailash.

Three centuries later, Milarepa, a famous Tibetan meditation master, hermit, mystic and poet, meditated here. Despite the rapid spread of Buddhism in Tibet since the 8th century, Kailash and the surrounding area remained a place especially revered by followers of the Bon religion. But after Milarepa, the secrets of Kailash were also revealed to Tibetan Buddhists. Having achieved spiritual realization, Milarepa and his disciples went to Western Tibet to the places of Buddha Shakyamuni. Arriving in the Kailash region, he met a Bon master named Naro Bonchung. A dispute arose between them over dominance in the Kailash region, which they agreed to resolve through competition using siddhis - supernatural powers. The first competition was on Lake Manasarovar near Kailash: Milarepa stretched his entire body across the surface of the lake, and Naro Bonchung stood on the surface of the water from above. Not satisfied with the results, they continued the competition by running around Kailash: Milarepa ran clockwise and Naro Bonchung counterclockwise. Having met at the top of the Dolma la pass near the northern slope of Kailash, they continued the magical battle, but again could not decide who the winner was. Then Naro Bonchung proposed the following competition: whoever climbs to the top of Kailash on the day of the full moon immediately after dawn will be the winner. On the appointed day, Naro Bonchung, riding his shamanic drum, flew to the top of Kailash. Milarepa rested calmly below, causing his disciples to worry. But as soon as the first rays of the sun reached the peak of Kailash, Milarepa grabbed one of the rays and instantly reached the sacred peak. Naro Bonchung was stunned and fell from his drum. Thus, Milarepa won and the followers of the Bon religion lost control of the region, moving their spiritual center from Kailash to Mount Bonri east of Lhasa.

Since then, and right up to the present day, Mount Kailash has been sacred both to Tibetan Buddhists and, in particular, to adherents of the Kagyu school, to which Milarepa belonged. But followers of the Bon religion continue to revere this peak. Thus, Buddhists make a pilgrimage around Kailash clockwise, and Bon followers counterclockwise.

In the 13th century, Master Gotsangpa discovered the magical powers of Kailash for adherents of the Drukpa Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. He also spent 5 years meditating at the Dirapuk Monastery, located before the Dolma la pass opposite the northern elephant of Kailash. Therefore, to this day, this monastery, Kailash and all the surrounding areas of the peak are especially revered by adherents of the Drukpa Kagyu school.

Although there are many sacred peaks in Tibet, only the Kailash region is a powerful and comprehensive mandala, where every peak and every hill is the abode of one or another deity, where every cleft in the rocks was a place of meditation for hermits. Nowhere else are there so many places of power with self-manifested symbols of the path to enlightenment.

Kailash in Bon religion

bon symbol

The founder of the Bon religion was named Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche. He lived about thirty thousand years ago in the spiritually perfect place of Olmo Lung Ring, where only enlightened beings could enter. According to the surviving descriptions, this place looked like a mixture of ideas about the mystical land of Shablale, Mount Kailash and Mount Meru. Despite the fact that Olmo Lung Ring is a magical place, according to some sources it was located in the territory of the country of Tazik to the west of the kingdom of Shang Shung in Western Tibet. In the center of Omolungring there was the sacred peak of Yundrung Gutsek - the “Nine-Storey Swastika Mountain”, symbolizing the “Nine Paths of Bon”, from where Tonpa Shenrab descended into the world of people. At the foot of the mountain, four great rivers originated, spreading in four directions. Some followers of the Bon religion believe that Mount Yundrung Gutsek is the sacred Kailash. According to other versions, Tonpa Shenrab moved the power and magic contained in Mount Yundrung Gutsek inside Kailash. At the end of his life in our world, using the axis of the world located on Kailash, he returned to heaven. In any case, Mount Kailash is a sacred place for followers of the Bon religion, symbolizing the place of the god Shang Shung Meri. The teachings and lineage of Meri (Me Ri) were one of the main practices in Shang Shung and are preserved to this day.

Kailash in Hinduism

In Hinduism, Kailash is the abode of God Shiva - the supreme God of gods, destroyer of illusions, master of yoga and tantra. Shiva, along with his wife Parvati, resides on the peak of Kailash in the highest meditative state of Absolute Bliss. According to Vishnu Purana, Kailasa peak is a reflection of Mount Meru, which is the center of all universes in both material and spiritual aspects.

Due to the hemispherical shape of Mount Kailash, it is personified with the lingam - the main symbol of Shiva, the masculine principle. In the Puranas, the Lingam is the manifested image of the Eternal Unmanifested Shiva, who is beyond time, space, qualities and forms. At the base of the lingam there is a yoni - a symbol of shakti, the universal feminine energy. Thus, the sacred lake Manasarovar, located near Kailash, is the personification of yoni and the abode of Parvati, therefore, together with Kailash, it is especially revered among followers of Hinduism. For them, a pilgrimage to Kailash and Manasarovar is, first of all, a meeting with God. Therefore, millions of believers go to the sacred peak every year.

Kailash in Jainism

For followers of Jainism, Kailash is also both a sacred peak and Mount Meru, personifying the center of the universe. Rishabha, who became the first saint in Jainism, achieved nirvana in the Kailash region, thereby marking the beginning of the Tithankara tradition. In the Jain worldview, the world has no beginning or end, and time moves in a circle, like the wheel of existence. Thus, our world has already completed countless time cycles, and countless cycles will also come after our time. Each cycle or “kalachakra” is divided into two half-cycles: growth and decay. In each half-cycle, 24 Tirthankaras are born, the first of which was Rishabha, also known as Adinatha.

stupas at the Dirapuk monastery on the northern slope of Kailash

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The most Interesting Facts and the secrets of Mount Kailash

“Strangers have rarely visited this wild land. In places we could look across the border of Tibet and see Mount Kailash. Although Kailash is only 6,666 meters high, Hindus and Buddhists consider it the most sacred of all the Himalayan peaks. Near her is big lake Manasarovar, also sacred, and a famous monastery. At all times, pilgrims came here from the most remote parts of Asia.” Tenzing Noghray, conqueror of Everest.

Fact No. 1. Many names

Mount Kailash (Kailash) is one of the most mysterious places on our planet. She is also known by other names: Europeans call her Kailash, the Chinese call her Gandhisyshan (冈底斯山) or Ganrenboqi (冈仁波齐), in the Bon tradition her name is Yundrung Gutseg, in ancient texts in Tibetan she is called Kang Rinpoche ( གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ; gangs rin po che) - “Precious snowy one.” A bunch of interesting secrets and the legends about Kailash do not leave people, both pilgrims and researchers, indifferent.

Fact No. 2. Center of 4 religions

Mount Kailash is the sacred center of 4 religions: Hinduism, Jainism, Tibetan Bon religion and Buddhism. The dream of every Hindu is to see Kailash with his own eyes at least once in his life. Related to this desire are serious visa restrictions issued by China for Indians wishing to visit these places. In the Vedas (ancient texts of this religion), Mount Kailash - favorite place the presence of Shiva (cosmic consciousness, personifying the masculine principle of the Universe).

Tibetan ancient religion Bon considers Mount Kailash to be the origin of life in the Universe and the center of power. According to their legends, this is where the mystical country Shangshung (Shambhala), and the first Jain master Tongpa Shenrab descended into the world from Kailash.

Buddhists revere this mountain as the abode of Buddha in one of the main incarnations - Samvara. Therefore, every year during the Buddhist religious holiday Vesak (other names - Saga Dawa, Visakha Puja, Donchod Khural), dedicated to the enlightenment of Buddha Gautama, thousands of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world gather at the foot of Mount Kailash.

Fact No. 3. Beginning of 4 rivers

According to Hindu mythology, the four main rivers of Tibet, India and Nepal originate on the slopes of Mount Kailash: Indus, Brahmaputra, Sutlej and Karnali. Jains believe that at Mount Kailash their first saint, Jina Mahavira, achieved enlightenment, after which he founded his own teaching - Jainism.

Fact No. 4. Swastika symbol from the shadows

Swastika Mountain – another name for Kailash. The appearance of this name is associated with the pattern formed by two cracks on its southern side. In the evening, the shadow cast by the rock ledges depicts a huge image of a swastika on it. The swastika is a sacred symbol for many peoples of the world. In India, for example, the swastika is considered as a solar sign - a symbol of life, light, generosity and abundance, closely associated with the cult of the god Agni. A wooden tool was made in the shape of a swastika for producing sacred fire. They laid him flat on the ground; the depression in the middle served for a rod, which was rotated until a fire appeared, lit on the altar of the deity. The swastika was carved in many temples, on rocks, and on ancient monuments in India. The swastika is one of the symbols of Jainism.



Fact No. 5. Orientation to cardinal directions

Mount Kailash has a pyramidal shape, strictly oriented to the cardinal points. There is also evidence to suggest the presence of voids both in the mountain itself and at its foot. Some researchers who have studied the mountain and its secrets claim: Kailash is an unnatural artificial formation, erected in ancient times by an unknown person and for what purpose. It is possible that this is some kind of complex, a pyramid.

Fact No. 6. Liberation from sins

In the Bon religion and Hinduism, there is a legend that says: walking around Kailash (kora) allows you to cleanse yourself of all sins committed in a given life. If the kora is performed 13 times, the pilgrim who completes it is guaranteed not to go to Hell; if the kora is performed 108 times, he breaks out of the circle of rebirths and reaches the degree of enlightenment of the Buddha. A kora performed on a full moon counts as two. That is why there are always many pilgrims around the mountain today, making their way to atone for sins.

Fact No. 6. Climbing Kailash is impossible

Mount Kailash is closed to climbers: not a single person has yet visited its peak. This is due not only to the fact that climbing it is officially prohibited. There are legends that Kailash is able to incomprehensibly change the desire of climbers to climb, thereby not allowing anyone to approach him. Those who get too close to it, and those who intend to climb to its top, are suddenly instructed to go in the opposite direction.

Whether this is true or not, the top of the mountain still remains unconquered. In 1985, the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner received permission to climb from the Chinese authorities, but refused at the last moment.

In 2000, a Spanish expedition for a fairly significant amount purchased permission to conquer Kailash from the Chinese authorities. The team set up a base camp at the foot, but were never able to set foot on the mountain. Thousands of pilgrims blocked the expedition's path. The Dalai Lama, the UN, a number of large international organizations, millions of believers around the world expressed their protest against the conquest of Kailash and the Spaniards had to retreat.

Fact No. 7. Mirrors of Time on the surface of Kailash

Another mystery of Kailash, around which there are numerous disputes and judgments, is the mirror of time. They mean many rocks located near Kailash, having a smooth or concave surface. Whether these surfaces were created artificially in ancient times or are a play of nature is still not known.

There is an assumption that these formations are a kind of “Kozyrev mirrors” - concave mirrors, at the focus of which the speed of time can change. A person who comes into the focus of such a mirror may experience various abnormal and psychophysical sensations. According to Muldashev, the mirrors around Kailash are placed in a certain system in relation to each other, which creates something like a “time machine” capable of transporting the initiate not only to different time periods, but also to other worlds.

Fact No. 8. Lakes Manasarovar and Rakshas Tal - so close, but so different

Two lakes located at the foot of Mount Rakshas Tal and Manasarovar are located nearby and are separated from each other by only a small isthmus. However, both these lakes are strikingly different from each other, which represents another mystery of Kailash.

The waters of Lake Manasarovar, revered by Tibetans as sacred, are fresh. According to legend, Lake Manasarovar was the first object created in the consciousness of Brahma. This is where its name comes from: in Sanskrit “Manas sarovara” means “Lake of Consciousness” from the words manas (consciousness) and sarovara (lake). According to one of the Buddhist legends, this lake is the same legendary Lake Anavatapta, where Queen Maya conceived Buddha. Manasarovar, like Kailash, is a place of pilgrimage, around which a ritual circumambulation - kora - is also performed in order to cleanse karma. Pilgrims come here to take ceremonial baths in the purifying waters of Manasarovar. It is believed that this lake is a place where “purity” lives; in its bottom layer, near the northwestern shore, the water is alive. Anyone who touches the sacred land of Manasarovar or bathes in this lake will definitely go to heaven. Anyone who drinks water from the lake will ascend to heaven to God Shiva and be cleansed of his sins. Therefore, Manasarovar is considered the most sacred, revered and famous lake in all of Asia. The area around the sacred lake is 100 km.

Near Manasarovar there is a salty dead lake Rakshas tal (also Langak, Rakas, Langa Tso (Chinese: 拉昂错, pinyin: Lā'áng Cuò). In Hindu mythology, this lake was created by the lord of the Rakshasas, the demon Ravana, and on this lake there was a special island where Ravana sacrificed one of his heads to Shiva every day. On the tenth day, Shiva gave Ravana superpowers. Lake Langa Tso is contrasted with Lake Manasarovar created by the gods. Manasarovar has a round shape, and Langa Tso is elongated in the form of a month, which symbolizes light and darkness respectively.According to local customs, touching the water of the dead lake is prohibited, as it can bring bad luck.

The number of legends, stories and various traditions associated with this place is simply enormous: it is unlikely that any other place on our planet can boast so many secrets and mysteries.

Report at the II International Scientific and Practical Conference “SACRAL GEOGRAPHY. ASPECTS OF EDUCATIONAL AND PILGRIMAGE TOURISM", April 9-12, 2016, St. Petersburg

S.Yu. Balalaev
Kailash Phenomenon Research Group, Voronezh, Russia

annotation
Based on the analysis of ancient Hindu, Buddhist and Bon texts, as well as the results of regular expeditions of the research group “Kailas Phenomenon”, carried out over the past ten years, data is provided on the sacred geography of the region of the most sacred mountain in Asia, Kailash, located in the southwestern part of Tibet. Mount Kailash is considered by millions of people to be the center of the Universe. In Hinduism, it is identified as the physical manifestation of the mythological pinnacle of the Universe, Mount Meru - the axis connecting heaven and earth. In total, sacred mountain, the lakes and the four rivers that originate near it form a vast geographical mandala, which has had a profound impact on the worldview of the people living in the Himalayas. The Kailasa mandala can have a special influence on pilgrims. The conclusion is made about the need for a comprehensive study of the Kailash phenomenon.

Keywords: Kailash, Meru, sacred geography

In Tibet, three areas are considered the most important for pilgrims: Kailash, Tsari and Lapchi. The inaccessibility and restrictions of the Tibetan government in the first half of the 20th century, and then the ban on visiting this territory by the PRC until the 80s, did not allow foreign travelers to explore this unique region in detail. However, to this day Tibet is the most closed territory on our planet to visitors. Only certain areas are accessible and require special permission to visit.
Over the past ten years, our group has organized and conducted 16 expeditions to the region of Mount Kailash (Tibet), one of the goals of which was to study the phenomenon of Mount Kailash.
Kailash is a sacred place of pilgrimage for about a billion (!) adherents of four world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon). The pilgrimage to Kailash is the highest in the world and takes place at altitudes from 4600 to 5830 m. The configuration of the valleys surrounding Kailash allows you to complete the kora (circumvention) of Kailash in one day (about 50 km). There is no other mountain on our planet that is sacred to such a huge number of people belonging to different religious denominations.


Photo 1: Satellite image of the routes of the outer and inner cor.

Immediately to the south of the mountain lies the rather large lake Manasarovar (Mapang in the Bon tradition). Together, the mountain and the lake form the most famous natural pilgrimage sanctuary in highland Asia. For several thousand years this area had a large cultural significance not only among Tibetan Buddhists and Bonpos, it was also described in the art, literature and rituals of the major Indian religious traditions (Brahmanism, Buddhism and Jainism).

Photo 2: Lake Manasarovar

Recently, this area has begun to attract Western scientists, researchers, seekers of spiritual truths and tourists interested in Asia. In our opinion, the study of the sacred geography of Mandala Kailash is of great importance, both using the analysis of ancient texts and using direct energy-information perception during travel to these places. To get a more holistic picture, we will try to put together a mosaic from the ideas of various religious faiths that consider this mountain sacred: Hinduism, Buddhism and Bon. We will pay special attention to ancient tests describing this region.
The kora around Kailash for pilgrims is more than passing through geographical places; it is a passage through the immortal world of the human soul, where myth, the material world and awareness merge into an inseparable essence.
The region of Mount Kailash is one of the eight strongest geoactive zones of our planet, located at the peaks of the planetary Merkabah. The high activity of such zones, which are its “acupuncture” or “chakra” points, is due to the higher manifestation in these areas of energy-informational interaction of continuums of different dimensions of space and time with our physical three-dimensional world.

Location of Mount Kailash and some geometric features of this region.
An interesting pattern in the location of Kailash related to its coordinates has been discovered. The coordinates of the point on the Serdung Chuksum pass are 31.058926°, 81.313320°, the ratio of longitude to latitude gives 2.618... This number is associated with the golden ratio, more precisely it is the square Ф = 1.618....


Photo 3. On the surface of the planet, you can draw lines whose points will have coordinates whose longitude to latitude ratios are equal to 0.618; 1.618; 2.618.


Photo 4. Near Kailash, this line passes through the Serdung Chuksum pass, connecting Mount Kailash and Nandi, through Mount Pakna, Khandro Sanglam Pass, Lake Chenme.

Special energy flows are present here on the summer solstice, during sunrise. Despite the long distance from Kailash (about 40 km), in good weather from the round platform you can observe the sacred peak, which begins to glow in the first rays rising sun over the still dark surface of the lake, similar to a river carrying its waters to Kailash. The Sun rises behind the man on the shore of the lake contemplating Kailash. Gradually the lake begins to brighten, as if it were lighting up from Kailash. Along with the first rays of the sun, a powerful energy vortex appears, directed towards Kailash, which literally takes you to the top of the Sacred Mountain.

The distance from the Serdung Chuksum pass to the middle of the sacred lake Gauri Kund is 6.666 m, azimuth 55.5 degrees. The distance of 6.666 m, accurate to a factor of 1000, corresponds to one of the characteristic dimensions of our planet - one sixth of the length of the earth’s circumference (40,000/6 = 6,666.67 km). By dividing the length of the earth's circumference by integers, other characteristic distances are obtained. The accuracy of the correspondence between the number 6,666 and the distance between the point near Kailash and the small mountain lake is unusual!


Photo 5. Kailash and Gauri Kund lake


Photo 6. The distance from the Serdung Chuksum pass to the top of Mount Pakna is 3.333 m, azimuth 64.3 degrees.


Photo 7. “Special” distances associated with lakes in the Kailash region

Ancient sources identify the Four Great Uncreated Mountains of Existence. The most important is, of course, Mount Kailash (Tise).
The second mountain described in ancient texts is the Mountain of Fragrant Incense (Pori Ngeden, on modern maps Ponri). Here is what is said about it: “To the left of Mount Tise, in an area extending as many yojanas as can be covered in one day, is the Shang Shung Mountain of Fragrant Incense, the mountain of deities. In shape and outline, it resembles an antlered deer jumping over rocks and meadows. The top is a snow-covered boulder that looks like the sparkling fiery Mount Mary. In the middle of the snowy cliffs and meadows there is a grove of medicinal and fragrant plants, filling the air with pleasant smells and fragrance; The healing plants that naturally grow on this mountain can cure all the diseases of living beings.”


Photo 8. Mountain of Fragrant Incense.

“What is in the northeast is a large boulder of fire-stone, which lies on the Mountain of Fragrant Incense and is called the Rock that Guides Living Beings. They say that when a fire is lit on this rock, everything eaten and drunk and everything touched by the fire and smoke gives rise to enlightenment.”
At the foot of Mount Ponri are the ruins of a monastery with the same name. It was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and has not been restored to this day. This monastery is one of the eight monasteries that Tibetans used to visit during the kora around Manasarovar. Nowadays it is visited by pilgrims very rarely...

Photo 9. Ruins of the Ponri Monastery.

The third mountain described in ancient Tibetan texts is Mount Gurla Mandhata (7,694 m). She happens to be highest peak on the Tibetan plateau and is located 69.6 km from Kailash in south direction. This mountain is offset from the main axis of the Great Himalayan Range. The name Gurla Mandhata is used by the inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent. Tibetans usually call it Ngemo Na Nyi, and for followers of the Bon religion it is known as Takri Trabo.


Photo 10. Mount Gurla Mandhata.

“In a region extending over as many yojanas as can be covered in two days, and called the Land of the Elder Sister Granting Prayer with a Smile, the Healing Mountain Takri Trabo faces this great mountain. It is called so because its shape and outline resembles the Indian striped tiger. Its top is a snow-covered boulder, white as the fangs of a young tiger rushing at its prey. The upper part is made of black slate with white stripes, reminiscent of a wild boar with white bristles on its chest. The middle part is made of blue slate, clear as the sky reflected in the lake. At the foot of the mountain there are meadows, the yellowness of which is reminiscent of the Golden Island. Inside, the body of the mountain looks like a swastika of long life, from the middle of which the pleasant-tasting water of long life continuously flows. Drinking this water or using it for ablutions gives longevity and bodily strength. In addition, in the cave Ke-ru-ri j there live people who live for countless kalpas without undergoing birth and death.” We found several references to a cave at the foot of this mountain and special healing water flowing from its slopes. This is a subject for research in our future expeditions...
In Eternal Bon, this mountain, as well as the lake La Nga Tso, which lies at its foot, is the domain of the goddess of incredible power Drablay Gyalmo. This armor-clad, deadly weapon-carrying queen of warrior deities is believed to originate from the Shang Shung era. Gekho's consort is Drablay Gyalmo, who, like her consort, is also a deity from heaven. She is still respectfully worshiped by Bon practitioners, no matter how far from Upper Tibet they live. This goddess is said to have the fiery radiance of the sun and has solar and lunar ornaments on her head. Her eyebrows are zigzag lightning bolts, and her hair is a swirling stream of golden light and thunderbolts. Drablay Gyalmo's rosary is made of the eight great planets (including the two lunar nodes), and her lace is made of twenty constellations. In her peaceful form she represents a white goddess mounted on a lioness and holding a cloth-decorated arrow of life. In her wrathful form, she is a black sorceress dressed in goat skin, releasing the red and white owl of death. In the terrifying aspect of Drablay Gyalmo, all the warrior gods of Shangshung are in unquestioning obedience.
Purely geographically, in a southern direction from Mount Kailash there is Lake Rakshas Tal, and from Mount Ponri there is Lake Manasarovar. Accordingly, water flows from Kailash flow only into Lake Rakshas Tal, and from Mount Ponri - into Lake Manasarovar. Note that part water flows from Mount Ponri flows first into Lake Kurgyal Chungo, a lake that arose during the process of First Creation, and only then they fall into Lake Manasarovar.

Photo 11. Satellite image of lakes Rakshas Tal and Manasarovar.

The 4th mountain mentioned in ancient texts is Mount Riva Tsepgye, which is located west of Lake Rakshas Tal

Specially shaped rock formations in the Kailash region
Stone Oms
On both sides of the path along which pilgrims walk through the Drolma La pass, there are two mountain formations, the shape of which is similar when viewed from above to the sacred Vedic symbol - OM. The dimensions of the OMs are about 2.8 km. This is especially clearly visible in satellite images, on which the level of 5700 m is marked with a blue background. Apparently, these are the largest stone OMs on our planet. It is very unusual that both Oms have a center of symmetry located in the sacred lake Gauri Kund. Of course, these are miraculous stone formations, but what is striking is that they are located next to each other and their main elements are symmetrical!


Photo 12. Satellite image of 2 stone OMs and Gauri Kund lake.

The meaning of OM in the Vedic tradition
The OM mantra is considered a sacred sound that appears during creation, the emergence of the universe and its destruction. It is one of the oldest in Vedic culture. The symbol OM is a symbol of the infinity of the spirit, the Divine in the world and man. The syllable Om is the initial sound that creates the Universe - the first manifestation of the yet unmanifested Brahman, which gave rise to the perceived Universe, which originated from the vibration caused by the sound OM.
The central point of this “device” is the Gauri Kund lake. In addition to the meditations at the Drolma La pass, it seems very important to go down a little below the kora path to the Gauri Kund lake. Here you can drink a few sips of water, wet your hair and wash. And merge with two OMs, feel the divine sound inside yourself...

Photo 13. Lake Gauri Kund.

East of Serlung, the monastery located at the beginning of the Inner Kora Trail, is the branching valley of Gyangdrak. Above the same name Buddhist monastery runs through a large amphitheater-shaped valley containing the remains of more than 30 dokhangs. High level settlements in the area reflect its status as the probable capital of Shangshung. Gyangdrak Amphitheater - perfect place for the establishment of an ancient settlement. It is well protected from harsh northern winds and has a southern location. Gyangdrak also has permanent water sources, something that plays an important role in the arid conditions of western Tibet. In addition, the area has sufficient reserves of stones for the construction of ancient residential buildings. Gyandrak Monastery is located in a place of great geomantic power. The focal axes of the two valleys forming the stone OM intersect precisely at the location of this monastery! Two huge stone mirrors concentrate energies in this very place!

Photo 14. Satellite image of stone Om and Gyandrak monastery

The large natural amphitheater at Gyangdrak has a very deep history. According to Bon sources, this amphitheater was nothing other than the site of the first capital of Shangshung. It is said that a castle known as Gyangri Yulojon was founded here and was ruled by three different kings.

Pyramid-like rock formations near Kailash
The pyramid in the Kailasa complex is understood not only as its classic version with flat edges, but also as a more general case when the edges can be concave or curved with varying degrees of curvature and consist of several layers.


Photo 15. The eastern edge of Kailash with the adjacent concave Stone Mirror Dharma King Norsang.

The regular pyramid-like shape of Kailash and the regular concave shape of the Stone Mirror, similar to a crescent, are clearly visible. The sloping ridge leading to the summit platform is oriented exactly east-west.
Near Kailash there are both trihedral and tetrahedral pyramids. The upper part of the pyramids often consists of several layers-terraces, which have their own resonant properties. Some pyramids have a truncated top, some have a pointed one. The pyramids flow into each other, forming with their concave faces unique structures with valleys of a regular ellipsoidal shape.


Photo 16. Pyramid-like rock formation located to the west of Kailash.


Photo 17. “Mexican” pyramid. View from the Serdung Chuksum inner kora pass.

In the Kailash Mandala there are many mountain formations that were formed in special subtle energy fields inherent in this place, and, as a result, have special shapes. One of these pyramid-like formations, unusual in its regular shape and size, is located 18 km from Kailash, azimuth 108 degrees. At the foot of the pyramid at an altitude of 5512 m there are two small lakes, one with turquoise water, the second with dark, almost black.

Photo 18. Pyramid-like formation located in southeast direction from Kailash. Blue background – level 5800 m

Stone swastikas


Photo 19. Three-rayed swastika made of concave mountain faces near the lakes Kapala Tso and Kavala Tso.

Stone "mirrors"
By stone mirrors we mean concave stone formations that are the slopes of mountain ranges. As a rule, they form characteristic semicircular valleys. Such mirrors can reflect and enhance various energy and information flows. Many stone mirrors, touching each other, form stone pyramids with concave edges.


Photo 20. There are quite a few concave rock formations in the Kang Tise ridge. One of the largest is the concave stone mirror of the Valley of Life and Death.

The stone mirror of the Valley of Life and Death consists of 3 parts, like three parabolic antennas. The connections of these mirrors form small projections that, when viewed from the valley, create the sides of a regular trapezoid. Their inclination angle is approximately 55 degrees from the horizon. Therefore, the real focus is not on the earth's surface. It is located at an altitude of about 1500 m above the surface, i.e. at the height of the peak of Kailash! And at the beginning of the glacier, at a distance of about 2 km from the stone antenna, there is a projection of the focus of the central mirror, oriented towards earth's surface. This amazing point of true focus can be fully experienced while meditating in this place...

Photo 21. Kailash and stone mirror.

Photo 22.

If we take a horizontal section at an altitude of 5780 m, it turns out that the length of the arc formed by the stone concave mirror is 1.97 km and equal to the radius of the circle forming it.
Recall that the length of the arc of a circle along which its radius fits is the natural arc and angular unit of radians. As we know, along any complete circle its radius is approximately 6.28 times. More precisely, the length of a full arc of a circle is 2 radians, and in any number systems and units of length. Thus, the size and shape of the stone mirror of the Valley of Life and Death is connected with the world constant “Pi”.


Photo 23. The stone mirrors of the southeastern shoulder of Kailash, forming the Valley of Life and Death and the Symmetrical Valley, have a common axis of symmetry at a distance of about 6 km.

Perception of the Kailash Mandala in various traditions in accordance with the level of human consciousness.
Exist Various types perception of the Kailash Mandala. Firstly, the perception from those people who do not follow the religious path: for them it is a sparkling and majestic snow-covered mountain, rising into the sky like a king sitting on his throne. And the mountain has such splendor because its small peaks are arranged in the manner of ministers bowing before the king.

Photo 24. View of Kailash from a helicopter.

Secondly, from the Hindu point of view, this snowy mountain looks like a crystal reliquary sanctuary (stupa). And it has such splendor because inside it contains a palace in which the great god Mahadeva and the goddess Uma reside in a “mother-father” union.
Even today, hundreds of thousands of Hindus travel to the Himalayan pilgrimage sites (tirtha) every year. The most visited place of pilgrimage, which is most often mentioned in religious texts and epic works, is the area of ​​\u200b\u200bMount Kailasa and Lake Manasarovar. For many, he is the earthly personification of Meru, the great mountain mentioned in the Mahabharata. This mountain is also perceived as the physical embodiment of Shiva's linga. She embodies the ancient idea of ​​“the navel of the earth,” “the axis mundi,” “the first of the mountains,” “the fixed point of the revolving world,” “having roots in the seventh hell and rising to the highest paradise.”
Mythical tales in the Shiva Purana say that the Himalayas are the abode of Shiva. This is the country where Lord Shiva lives with his wife Parvati.
Popular Hindu perception associates the Himalayas with God Shiva - the Destroyer and Creator of the Hindu Triad. The other two gods of the Triad also live here: Brahma - the Creator, and Vishnu - the Protector. According to ancient Hindu religious texts, the abode of the creator Brahma is called Brahmaloka, the abode of God Vishnu is called “Vaikuntha” and the abode of God Shiva is called Kailash. Of all three, only Kailash can be reached in a physical body and returned having touched divinity. According to Hindu mythology, Kailash is the divine center at the heart of all creation, and with its reverence comes the vision of the divinity of all things.
The northern face of Mount Kailash and the ridge of adjacent mountains is the primary lingam (phallus) of Shiva. Over time it was reproduced in thousands of architectural forms and became a fetish in India. The Linga symbolizes the generative impulse towards enlightenment present throughout the Universe.

Photo 25. Shivalingam and Mount Kailash

The Linga of Shiva, or Mount Kailash, is of natural perfection, and together with the yoni, or womb, represents the community or union of opposites. The womb and phallus symbolize opposing natural forces and their union—the transcendental qualities of divinity. The stories, legends, myths and religious significance of Kang Rinpoche (Mount Kailash) constitute the richest aspect of human culture. This echoes veneration natural features in the whole world, however, nowhere else is there such a long-standing and complexly organized bridge between nature and religion.
Thirdly, according to those who adhere to the teachings of the “Lesser Vehicle” and independent practitioners who have embarked on the path, the appearance appears to be a snowy mountain, but inside it is the majestic Buddhist saint Angaja, who is in great joy of meditation with his retinue of 500 worthy Buddhists (arhats).
Fourthly, according to the perception of those who have achieved the highest good - saints who have achieved the accomplishment of the Vajrayana path from hidden ritual formulas (mantra), then for them Mount Tise (Kailas) has the form of Samvara - perfect ability, enclosed in the arms of Varaha - perfect wisdom in the shape of the snowy mountain Mala Tisza. All her minor peaks are in the form of sixteen goddesses of knowledge making offerings to her.

Sacred Valleys of Kailash

Photo 26, 26a. The main valleys - Flag Valley, divine Valley and Fortress Valley have the form of three channels for transmitting the vital energy of the subtle yogic body, respectively, central, left and right

So, ancient Hindu, Buddhist and Bon texts speak of the Kailash Mandala as a unique multidimensional, multi-level formation, the Center of the World, containing all aspects of Existence. The central part of the Kailash Mandala is a huge stone eight-petalled lotus formed by eight valleys separated by eight mountain ranges adjacent to Kailash. In the center of this stone lotus is Kailash. All this corresponds to ancient descriptions legendary mountain Meru.
The basis for understanding the sacred geography of the Kailash region is the so-called lotus model of the Kailash Mandala. From the point of view of Buddhist ideas, this model is described in detail by the German researcher Wolfgang Vollmer.

Photo 27. Satellite image of Kailash Mandala. The orange line is the ring of the outer cortex. The blue lines are the river beds starting at Kailash. Blue background – horizontal section at an altitude of 5600 m.

1. Gangjam Chu (north)
2. Polung Chu (northeast)
3. Khandro Chu (northeast)
4. Eastern Gate
5. Shingjong Chu
6. Gedhun Chu
7. Gyangdrag Chu/Selung Chu
8. Western Gate
Considering these valleys as the dividing lines between the petals, and the isolated mountains between the valleys as the lotus petals themselves, the Kailasa massif can be considered as an eight-petaled lotus flower - the Circle of Great Bliss.
Note that the valleys of the outer crust, of course, do not form a regular circular shape. But there is a surprising pattern in its size. If we build a cross oriented to the four cardinal directions, the center of which is at the top of Kailash, then its crossbars within the outer kora path will measure 15,400 m and 9,510 m in the north-south and west-east directions, respectively. The ratio of these numbers gives 1.619, i.e. The dimensions of the crust that pilgrims pass through practically correspond to the golden ratio!

Photo 28. Mount Buddha's Throne. The place where Master Buddha used to preach the Buddhist doctrine to Ma-dros-pa, the king of the snake deities (klu).

Sheldra (Crystal Semblance) is one of the most famous places pilgrimage to Kang Rinpoche. It is located up the valley from Serlung Monastery at an altitude of 5300 m. For centuries, Sheldra was used by Buddhists for meditation and was partially restored after the effects of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. However, no one lives there permanently now. There was no prior information about the history of the site. Considering the abundance of ancient sites built in the same style and occupying similar geographical position in the region, Sheldra's roots seem to go back to an ancient cultural layer.

Photo 29. On the rocky mountain behind the Serlung Valley is the famous Crystal Likeness (Sheldra).


Photo 30. At the top of Sheldra there is a rocky mountain known as Shiva's Palace, and on the side there is a protruding rock called Shiva's assistant monkey Hanuman.

Within the enclosure of ritual sceptres (dorje ra-ba) surrounding the majestic mandala of Tise is the so-called Inner Kora (nang-skor) Sheldra, and here are located the golden funerary shrines of the hierarchs (gdan-rabs) of the Bri-gung sect. Currently, the Thirteen Golden Tombs is a completely Buddhist sanctuary site. Until the 11th century AD, this place probably belonged to the Bonpos. It is likely that these monuments in their original form were the thirteen chorten tombs mentioned in the Bon sacred geography tradition. However, no archaeological evidence has yet been found to support this idea.


Photo 31. Thirteen chortens in the Saptorishi niche.

The Thirteen Golden Tombs are located directly above the ancient temples and hermitages of the region, thus making it impossible to establish a direct link to ancient settlement patterns. The climate at an altitude of 5800 m is extremely harsh, characterized by snowfall and negative temperatures during all months of the year. Also, the air pressure at this altitude is very low to be suitable for permanent human habitation. As now, in ancient times the use of the site was probably limited to ritual and ceremonial functions of a short duration.
Despite its modern architectural character, the areas around the Thirteen Golden Tombs are replete with Bon mythology. Bon texts say that the front (southern) side of the great crystal chorten that is Kailash was decorated by the founder of the Bon religion (Tonpa Shenrab) and the first king of Shangshung (Kakki Charusen, Kags Kui bya-ru kan), as well as other religious figures. It is believed that ancient sacred texts written in the language of the Shangshung Kingdom are also hidden near the “Thirteen Crystal Chortens”.
Lower Valley of lHa-lung. Main roundabout
Then, if you go from the lower reaches of the Dar-lung valley further [to the northwest] around the Buddhist path of circular circumambulation (chos-skor), you can reach the so-called Prolongation Ridge in the lower reaches of the lHa-lung valley. The mountain in the east is the Palace of Yellow Dzambhala. Higher up on the way to the west, on the Mandala Terrace, is the “immutable nail” - the footprint of the Master Buddha, which is surrounded by the footprints of 500 worthy Buddhists.
A little higher on the gentle slopes of the mountain there is a cave where Naro Bon-chung stayed in the past, and inside there is a footprint of the master Mil-la [Ras-pa]. On the side of this cave there is a spring called the Cure of Diseases Healing Water. Also at the top there is a shrine-tomb known as the Self-Manifesting Sixteen Buddhist Saints. From here, on the way west from the Golden Pool, you can cross the LHa-chu River and continue to the mountain called the Palace of Black Dzambhala.

Photo 32. Satellite image

Dzonglung Valley, Zutrul Phuk Monastery


Photo 33. Mountain, in the south, at the lower end of Khandro Sanglam - Palace of the Blessed Mother of Long Life. From here, on the eastern bank of the Dzongchu River, there are footprints of the protector of living beings, gTsang-pa rGya-ras.


Photo 34. Camping at the foot of Medicine Buddha Mountain

Below to the side there is a hill like a golden two-story house called the Medicine Buddha Palace. All kinds of medicinal herbs grow on the slopes of this hill, and there are countless meditation cells for Bri-gung hermits.

Proof and Faith
As for statements about elements of the landscape such as “This is the deity, and this is his palace,” one should not adhere to views that consider these statements to be exaggerations simply because they are invisible to ordinary perception. These are exclusively the visions of many bodhisattvas who lived in this place. In this regard, everyone can discover faith and reverence in their hearts without any ambiguity.
The Kailasa Mandala carries special “reference” vibrations, when co-tuned with which a person can activate the work of his own energy system, align the subtle bodies and build a communication channel with his higher aspects.
Kailash has a transformative effect on people who make a pilgrimage to it. This is expressed, for example, in a change in the picture of the world, in which a person begins to perceive himself not only and not so much as a physical body, but as a spiritual being, whose spirit only temporarily resides in a dense body. The resulting vector of development leads to an equalization of the balance of the spiritual and material sides.
Mandala Kailash is one of the most important energy information nodes of our planet, a giant natural converter of energies coming from the Cosmos for our planet and the people inhabiting it, as well as the place where the reverse energy exchange of the planet with the Cosmos takes place. Thus, one of the options for energy-information exchange between the Earth and the surrounding space is carried out. Kailash influences the evolutionary processes of the Earth and man.

Photo 35. Energy-information exchange of the planet and the Cosmos through Kailash.

It seems very important to continue studying the sacred geography of the Kailash region from the point of view of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Bon, as well as with the help of modern scientific research and direct spiritual perception.

“Strangers have rarely visited this wild land.
In places we could look across the border of Tibet and see Mount Kailash.
Although the height of Kailash is only 6666 meters, Hindus and Buddhists
It is considered the most sacred of all the Himalayan peaks.
Near it is the large lake Manasarovar, also sacred, and the famous monastery.
At all times, pilgrims came here from the most remote parts of Asia.”
Tenzing Noghray, conqueror of Everest.

Fact No. 1. Many names

Mount Kailash (Kailash) is one of the most mysterious places on our planet.
She is also known by other names: Europeans call her Kailas, the Chinese call her Gandhisishan (冈底斯山) or Ganrenboqi (冈仁波齐), in the Bon tradition her name is Yundrung Gutseg, in ancient texts in Tibetan she is called Kang Rinpoche ( གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ; gangs rin p-che) - “Precious snowy.” Many interesting secrets and legends about Kailash do not leave people, both pilgrims and researchers, indifferent.



Fact No. 2. Center of 4 religions

Mount Kailash is the sacred center of 4 religions: Hinduism, Jainism, Tibetan Bon religion and Buddhism. The dream of every Hindu is to see Kailash with his own eyes at least once in his life. Related to this desire are serious visa restrictions issued by China for Indians wishing to visit these places. In the Vedas (ancient texts of this religion), Mount Kailash is the favorite place of residence of Shiva (cosmic consciousness, personifying the masculine principle of the Universe).
The Tibetan ancient religion Bon considers Mount Kailash to be the place of origin of life in the Universe and the center of power. According to their legends, this is where the mystical country of Shangshung (Shambhala) is located, and the first Jain master Tongpa Shenrab descended into the world from Kailash.

Buddhists revere this mountain as the abode of Buddha in one of the main incarnations - Samvara. Therefore, every year during the Buddhist religious holiday Vesak (other names - Saga Dawa, Visakha Puja, Donchod Khural), dedicated to the enlightenment of Buddha Gautama, thousands of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world gather at the foot of Mount Kailash.

Fact No. 3. Beginning of 4 rivers

According to Hindu mythology, the four main rivers of Tibet, India and Nepal originate on the slopes of Mount Kailash: Indus, Brahmaputra, Sutlej and Karnali. Jains believe that at Mount Kailash their first saint, Jina Mahavira, achieved enlightenment, after which he founded his own teaching - Jainism.



Fact No. 4. Swastika symbol from the shadows

Swastika Mountain- another name for Kailash. The appearance of this name is associated with the pattern formed by two cracks on its southern side. In the evening, the shadow cast by the rock ledges depicts a huge image of a swastika on it. The swastika is a sacred symbol for many peoples of the world. In India, for example, the swastika is considered as a solar sign - a symbol of life, light, generosity and abundance, closely associated with the cult of the god Agni. A wooden tool was made in the shape of a swastika for producing sacred fire. They laid him flat on the ground; the depression in the middle served for a rod, which was rotated until a fire appeared, lit on the altar of the deity. The swastika was carved in many temples, on rocks, and on ancient monuments in India. The swastika is one of the symbols of Jainism.



Fact No. 5. Orientation to cardinal directions

Mount Kailash has a pyramidal shape, strictly oriented to the cardinal points. There is also evidence to suggest the presence of voids both in the mountain itself and at its foot. Some researchers who have studied the mountain and its secrets claim: Kailash is an unnatural artificial formation, erected in ancient times by an unknown person and for what purpose. It is possible that this is some kind of complex, a pyramid.

Fact No. 6. Liberation from sins

In the Bon religion and Hinduism, there is a legend that says: walking around Kailash (kora) allows you to cleanse yourself of all sins committed in a given life. If the kora is performed 13 times, the pilgrim who completes it is guaranteed not to go to Hell; if the kora is performed 108 times, he breaks out of the circle of rebirths and reaches the degree of enlightenment of the Buddha. A kora performed on a full moon counts as two. That is why there are always many pilgrims around the mountain today, making their way to atone for sins.

Fact No. 6. Climbing Kailash is impossible

Mount Kailash is closed to climbers: not a single person has yet visited its peak. This is due not only to the fact that climbing it is officially prohibited. There are legends that Kailash is able to incomprehensibly change the desire of climbers to climb, thereby not allowing anyone to approach him. Those who get too close to it, and those who intend to climb to its top, are suddenly instructed to go in the opposite direction.
Whether this is true or not, the top of the mountain still remains unconquered. In 1985, the famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner received permission to climb from the Chinese authorities, but refused at the last moment.
In 2000, a Spanish expedition for a fairly significant amount purchased permission to conquer Kailash from the Chinese authorities. The team set up a base camp at the foot, but were never able to set foot on the mountain. Thousands of pilgrims blocked the expedition's path. The Dalai Lama, the UN, a number of large international organizations, millions of believers around the world expressed their protest against the conquest of Kailash and the Spaniards had to retreat.

Fact No. 7. Mirrors of Time on the surface of Kailash

Another mystery of Kailash, around which there are numerous disputes and judgments, is the mirror of time. They mean many rocks located near Kailash, having a smooth or concave surface. Whether these surfaces were created artificially in ancient times or are a play of nature is still not known.

There is an assumption that these formations are a kind of “Kozyrev mirrors” - concave mirrors, in the focus of which the speed of time can change. A person who comes into the focus of such a mirror may experience various abnormal and psychophysical sensations. According to Muldashev, the mirrors around Kailash are placed in a certain system in relation to each other, which creates something like a “time machine” capable of transporting the initiate not only to different time periods, but also to other worlds.


Fact No. 8. Lakes Manasarovar and Rakshas Tal - so close, but so different

Two lakes located at the foot of Mount Rakshas Tal and Manasarovar are located nearby and are separated from each other by only a small isthmus. However, both these lakes are strikingly different from each other, which represents another mystery of Kailash.




The waters of Lake Manasarovar, revered by Tibetans as sacred, are fresh. According to legend, Lake Manasarovar was the first object created in the consciousness of Brahma. This is where its name comes from: in Sanskrit “Manas sarovara” means “Lake of Consciousness” from the words manas (consciousness) and sarovara (lake). According to one of the Buddhist legends, this lake is the same legendary Lake Anavatapta, where Queen Maya conceived Buddha. Manasarovar, like Kailash, is a place of pilgrimage, around which a ritual circumambulation - kora - is also performed in order to cleanse karma. Pilgrims come here to take ceremonial baths in the purifying waters of Manasarovar. It is believed that this lake is a place where “purity” lives; in its bottom layer, near the northwestern shore, the water is alive. Anyone who touches the sacred land of Manasarovar or bathes in this lake will definitely go to heaven. Anyone who drinks water from the lake will ascend to heaven to God Shiva and be cleansed of his sins. Therefore, Manasarovar is considered the most sacred, revered and famous lake in all of Asia. The area around the sacred lake is 100 km.


Lake Manasarovar

Lake Rakshas

Near Manasarovar there is a salty dead lake Rakshas tal (also Langak, Rakas, Langa Tso (Chinese: 拉昂错, pinyin: Lā'áng Cuò). In Hindu mythology, this lake was created by the lord of the Rakshasas, the demon Ravana, and on this lake there was a special island where Ravana sacrificed one of his heads to Shiva every day. On the tenth day, Shiva gave Ravana superpowers. Lake Langa Tso is contrasted with Lake Manasarovar created by the gods. Manasarovar has a round shape, and Langa Tso is elongated in the form of a month, which symbolizes light and darkness respectively.According to local customs, touching the water of the dead lake is prohibited, as it can bring bad luck.
The number of legends, stories and various traditions associated with this place is simply enormous: it is unlikely that any other place on our planet can boast so many secrets and mysteries.