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| '''Mount Kailash''' (also '''Mount Kailas'''), at 6,718.2m (22,027 ft), |
'''Mount Kailash''' (also '''Mount Kailas''' or '''Kangrinbogê Feng'''), at 6,718.2m (22,027 ft), is the tallest mountain in ]. | ||
| <!--Commenting out the following information: I've read that Mount Kailash stands alone, not part of any mountain range. Can someone verify?--> | <!--Commenting out the following information: I've read that Mount Kailash stands alone, not part of any mountain range. Can someone verify?--> | ||
| <!--The mountain range which surrounds it, sometimes called the '''Kailash Range''' (also ''Kailas Range''). Mount Kailash is the tallest in the range.--> | <!--The mountain range which surrounds it, sometimes called the '''Kailash Range''' (also ''Kailas Range''). Mount Kailash is the tallest in the range.--> | ||
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| According to Hindu mythology the god ] resides on the summit. | According to Hindu mythology the god ] resides on the summit. | ||
| ==Pilgrimmage== | |||
| Every year, thousands of pilgrims travel to Kailas, following a tradition going back hundreds of years. Pilgrims of several religions all believe that circumambulating Mount Kailas on foot is a holy ritual that will bring good fortune. The route is always made in a clockwise direction. The path around Mount Kailas is 52 kilometers (32 miles) long. | |||
| There are two schools of thought on walking around Mount Kailas. Some pilgrims believe that the entire walk around Kailas should be made in a single day. This is not easy; a person in good shape walking fast will take some 15 hours to complete the route due to uneven terrain, ], and harsh conditions. Other pilgrims believe that the walk should be even more difficult. These pilgrims make the entire walk while performing body-length prostrations: The pilgrim bends down and kneels, rises and prays, and then crawls forward on hands and knees a few feet before repeating the process. Crawling 52 kilometers while performing prostrations is a daunting task that usually demands at least four days in the open. Pilgrims are not allowed to skip difficult parts, like frozen ground or streams. It is believed by the pilgrims that the greater the suffering, the greater the merit gained. | |||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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Mount Kailash (also Mount Kailas or Kangrinbogê Feng), at 6,718.2m (22,027 ft), is the tallest mountain in Tibet. Kailash is the source of four of the longest rivers in Asia: the Indus River, the Sutlej River, the Brahmaputra River, and the Ganges River. The mountain lies near Lake Manasarowar and Lake Rakshastal.
Name
The word Kailas means "crystal" in Hindi. Tibetans call it Ghang Rimpoche or Khang Ripoche, meaning "precious jewel of snows". Other names for the mountain include Meru and Tise.
Religious significance
According to Hindu mythology the god Shiva resides on the summit.
Pilgrimmage
Every year, thousands of pilgrims travel to Kailas, following a tradition going back hundreds of years. Pilgrims of several religions all believe that circumambulating Mount Kailas on foot is a holy ritual that will bring good fortune. The route is always made in a clockwise direction. The path around Mount Kailas is 52 kilometers (32 miles) long.
There are two schools of thought on walking around Mount Kailas. Some pilgrims believe that the entire walk around Kailas should be made in a single day. This is not easy; a person in good shape walking fast will take some 15 hours to complete the route due to uneven terrain, altitude sickness, and harsh conditions. Other pilgrims believe that the walk should be even more difficult. These pilgrims make the entire walk while performing body-length prostrations: The pilgrim bends down and kneels, rises and prays, and then crawls forward on hands and knees a few feet before repeating the process. Crawling 52 kilometers while performing prostrations is a daunting task that usually demands at least four days in the open. Pilgrims are not allowed to skip difficult parts, like frozen ground or streams. It is believed by the pilgrims that the greater the suffering, the greater the merit gained.