Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Mt. Kailash



Mount Kailash lies in the southwestern part of the Tibet autonomous Region of China. At 6,714 m (22,027 ft), Mount Kailas is the highest peak in the Kailas Range of the Himalayas . Mount Kailas is separated from the Great Himalayas chain by a channel that is drained in the northwest by the Sutlej River and in the southeast by the Yarlung Zangbo River (the extreme upper Brahmaputra River ). Mapam Lake , lying just south of Mount Kailas at 4,557 m (14,950 ft), is one of the world's highest lakes.

Mount Kailas , which has religious significance for both Hindus and Tibetan Buddhists, is an important pilgrimage site. For Hindus, the peak is the home of the god Shiva, while Tibetan Buddhists equate the mountain with Mount Sumeru.

For Hindus, Mt. Kailash is the sacred abode of Lord Shiva, 'The God of Destruction' of evil and sorrow. Hindus consider this mountain as eternal heaven and the center of soul and spirituality. As the legend has it, Lord Shiva sits atop Mt. Kailash meditating and practicing yoga. The mountain is assumed to be the center of the world and the four rivers flowing through Kailash dividing the world in four different regions. In fact, the famous rock cut Ellora caves in Maharashtra is named after Mt. Kailash. The walls of this cave have many carvings related to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

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