History
Known as the abode of Lord Shiva and his consort Goddess Parvati, Kailash Mansarovar is set amidst picturesque beauty in the remote mountains of the western Tibet. The snow-clad Mt. Kailash is situated at an altitude of 22,228 ft (6,714 m) and is regarded as the world’s most sacred place. The pilgrimage is a 53 km walk around the Kailash, which is considered as the center of the universe according to the Hindu Puranas and the Buddhist text. It is the spiritual center for four great religions: Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, the Jain religion and the pre Buddhist animistic religion - Bonpo.
The Mansarovar Lake is one of the holiest, captivating, stimulating, famous and the most ancient lake known to the civilization. It is believed that Lake Mansarovar was created by Lord Brahma, the creator of the world. The Mansarovar Lake is the source of four great rivers: the Indus, the Sutlej, the Brahmaputra and the Karnali.
Pilgrims from all over India, Tibet and other neighboring countries visit this holy shrine despite varied difficulties and hardships. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra demands good health and physical fitness and is not for those suffering from any physical ailment such as of blood pressure, diabetes, heart ailments, epilepsy and asthma. It is advised that such people should avoid the journey as it involves the most difficult treks in Asia. To experience its spiritual power one has to visit this place with the right intention in mind. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, is a pilgrimage and the intent should be to visit it for peace, both within each person and the world.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) along with Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) organizes the Kailash Mansarovar in India every year. As the Chinese government allows a limited number of Yatris, so only a few lucky people get the chance to visit this place every year. The Yatra generally continues for 26 days. The most popular and widely used route to visit Kailash Mansarovar is through Kumaon region in Uttarakhand.
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