A TO Z INDIA ● FEBRUARY 2022 ● PAGE 10
The Shiva mystery :
Mount Kailash - Lord Shiva ' s abode
Santha
No human has managed to scale Mount Kailash . lord Shiva ' s home yet it has never been climbed by modern man , located in Tibet ( ruled by Chinese govt .)
1 . It ’ s Unclimbable Even though it ’ s shorter than Mt . Everest ( which thousands have scaled ), No one has reached its summit so far . Many claim this to be the bidding of supernatural forces , while scientists are left baffled . Many attempts have been made to get to the peak , but almost all of them were thwarted by extreme weather conditions the moment they set foot on the mountain , almost like the mountains didn ’ t want people climbing it . Several others claim that once on the mountain , navigation becomes impossible as directions become confusing , some even going as far to say that the mountain and it ’ s supernatural forces twist and turn directions .
2 . Lord Shiva ’ s Abode According to Hindu Mythology , it is said that Lord Shiva along with this family reside in this mountain of black rock . This is among many reasons why Mt . Kailash is a holy pilgrimage for many . Devotees of Shiva come here for salvation , and feel many supernatural forces when they do so . Some even claim to have seen Lord Shiva himself , in his form as Neelkanth .
3 . Known As Astapada By Jains This mountain isn ’ t just sacred to one religion , as it revered as the site at which their first prophet received enlightenment . Jains have a different name for this peak , Astapada , and they believe that the first of the twenty-four Tirthankaras , Rishaba , achieved liberation .
4 . Also Known As Tise Along with Hindu and Jain mysticism regarding this mountain , an ancient religion , even before Buddhism came into play , has roots in this mountain . Adherents of Bon , an ancient shamanistic religion , call the mountain Tise , believing it to be the Goddess Sipaimen ’ s seat .