Sunday, November 28, 2010


Mount Kailash, 21,778' (6,638m), is a peak in the Gangdisê Mountains, which are part of the Himalayas in Tibet. It lies near the source of some of the longest rivers in Asia: the Indus River, the Sutlej River (a major tributary of the Indus River), the Brahmaputra River, and the Karnali River (a tributary of the Ganges River). It is considered a sacred place in four religions: Bön, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism. In Hinduism, it is considered to be the abode of Lord Shiva and a place of eternal bliss. The mountain lies near Lake Manasarowar and Lake Rakshastal in Tibet.

There have been no recorded attempts to climb Mount Kailash; it is considered off limits to climbers in deference to Buddhist and Hindu beliefs. It is the most significant peak in the world that has not seen any known climbing attempts.

One of the reasons why religious freedom took such fertile root in America was the fact that the Europeans that came over ignored the religious holy places of the natives (at first at least) and there wasn't any sacred land. Think of places that have little or no true value other than more than one group of people have claimed it as "Holy." Jerusalem comes readily to mind. Three religions have killed each other over it for thousands of years.
The ugly head of sacred sites if infiltrating America. Native tribes are claiming certain places as sacred and the courts are ruling in their favor. The Moral Mafia is claiming all of America as blessed by God so we can wage wars without guilt.
Remember the song: One Tin Soldier? Do it in the name of heaven/you can justify it in the end.

Nothing makes a place bloodier than to be known as a holy site.

4 comments:

Tao Dao Man said...

RE:
"Nothing makes a place bloodier than to be known as a holy site."
Exactly. Well said.

Born to Travel said...

HI

I had the opportunity to visit Mt Kailash in August 2009. It is a very holy site awesome experience, very tough, basic living conditions but the best experience of my life

All the best

WArm South African Goodbye

P M Prescott said...

RZ unless that holy site is a golf course.

P M Prescott said...

Lakshmi, thanks for leaving a comment. Glad you had moving experience there.