Mount Kailash which stand prominently in a remote south-west corner of Tibet at the altitude of 22,028 feet is the holiest of all holy peaks. For centuries Kailash and Manasarovar have played a significant role in the collective consciousness not only for Buddhists, but also for Bonpos, Hindus and Jains. It is an area sacred to all these four major Indic religions. For the Buddhist, Kailash is the manifestation of the Buddha Sakyamuni. For the Hindus particularly, it is regarded as one of sacred locations of the Lord Shiva Mahadeva and the Deity Parvati. The Jains revere it as the site of their first saint Adinath's emancipation. Followers of Bon, the oldest religion of Tibet, worship it as the scared Nine Stone Swastika Mountain. Sherap, their founder saint, is said to have descended on its peak.

Pilgrimage is an activity common to above four major religions. The faithful set off on long journeys to particular places with the hope of creating virtue and gaining merit. Mount Kailash is regarded as the holiest mountain on earth. Moreover, even for those without a specific faith, the mountain's physical from make it a natural symbol of purity.

At a height of 6656m, Mt. Kailash is locally called Kang Rinpocheior the precious jewel of the snowj. It is striking with its snow-capped peak against the clear blue sky which justifies its name Jewel of the Snow. Each of MT. Kailash's face highlights different moods. The southern face reflects majesty or splendor; it is fully covered with snow. The west face is enveloped in an aura of compassion and benevolence. The north face is stark, forbidding and daunting while the east, only visible from a distance is mysterious and distant.

Parimarma

The Kora (parikrama) or circumambulation of Kailash starts from Darchen, is a three-day trip, the total distance is 54 kms long, and the most scared for all the travelers. It is performed in a clockwise direction. Followers of Bon perform it anti-clockwise. The Droma-la pass, is the highest point at 5630m.. One parikrama of Kailash is said to erase the accumulated sins of a lifetime, while 108 of virtues and merits will ensure nirvana or liberation from the circle of life and death.

The Lake Manasarovar & The Lake Rakshas-Tal

Manasarovar is what remains of the tethes, considered as the source of all creation. Manasarovar is Mapam-Yom-Tso in Tibetan which means victorious lake. According to a legend, Queen Maya Devi was bathed by the Gods in waters from this lake before giving birth to Buddha. As the legend goes, Brahma created this lake for his meditation and worship. Literally, Manasarovar refers to the mind of the supreme God Brahma, the lake being its outward manifestation.

The sacred Manasarovar is located at a height of 4560m with a circumference of 85kms, which can be trekked in about three days. It has depth of 300ft and covers an area of 350sq kms. It is amongst the highest bodies of fresh water in the world, and "the waters of the Lake Manasarovar like pearls, to drink them erases the sins of a hundred lifetimes". Through most of time of the year, the lake remains frozen but around May when the waters begin to thaw, the pilgrims will start their yatra.

The sister lake of the Manasarovar, Rakshas-Tal, is at of height of 4515m. It is divided from the Lake Manasarovar by a narrow isthmus. Here, in a moment of ecstasy, Ravana, the ruler of Lanka stood on one foot, performed tapasya and invoked Lord Shiva's blessings. The Tibetans refer to this lake as Hanag-Tso or the Demon Lake. The waters of this lake is undrinkable, it is consider it as inauspicious.