Mount Kailash & Mansarovar with Toling and Zenda tour 2012

Mt. Kailash (6714m), which is considered to be the sacred abode of the gods and goddesses and the exact centre of the entire universe, is the holiest mountain of all. The mountain is also famous for its unique four-faced shape like that of a handle of a millstone. The cleft on its southern side intersected by a series of rocks forms a sacred Buddhist symbol 'Swastika'. Click Here for Route Map

Mt. Kailash is referred to as Kang Rinpoche (literally meaning 'a sparkling mass of snow') by the Tibetan locals. Believers relate this mountain to Mt. Meru of Hindu mythology. In ancient Hindu scriptures, Mt. Meru has been described as a mountain, lying in the Himalayan range, with its four faces made of four different jewels (gold, crystal, ruby and lapis lazuli), where gods resided and from where four great rivers originated. Confirming its relation to Mt. Meru, Kailash is a mother to four great holy rivers, namely Karnali, Indus, Sutlej and Brahmaputra.

Kailash Parvat is considered divine by the devotees of four different religions-Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bonpo, with a belief that the gods or founders of these religions had once meditated or resided in the holy mountain. Thus the devout followers of all these religions flock to the mountain to pay homage to the gods residing on its top.

Lake Mansarovar

15 meters below the holy Kailash Parvat lies the most sacred lake of Hindus-Mansarovar. Mansarovar, literally meaning 'the consciousness of mind', is situated at an elevation of 4580 meters. Mansarovar Lake is so large that it takes at least three days to just go round its peripheries.

Mansarovar also holds an important religious space among the followers of Buddhism other than the Hindus. One dip into the cold water of this holy lake is believed, by Hindus, to relinquish the soul of all its sins thus carving a straight path to heaven after death. Ancient Hindu scriptures indicate this lake as a must-visit place for those who want to attain salvation – the highest level of spiritual achievement in Hinduism. Many others also come to take a bath in the lake with a belief that it will keep them youthful and strong forever.

Raksas Tal

Raksas Tal (literally meaning 'The Monster Lake') is another lake in Kailash-Mansarovar region. As the name suggests, it is believed that this lake is a dark residence of man-eating demons. Due to the very reason, pilgrims pay homage to the lake from far avoiding any proximity to the lake. Legend has it that the water in the lake is poisonous and should not be touched or drunk. The lake is small in size and lies at an elevation of 4545 meters to the west of Mansarovar.

According to the Hindu beliefs, Ravana- the devil of Ramayana, did an extended prayer and a very tough meditation to please Lord Shiva and later received blessings from the god in the Raksas Tal itself. Ravana, himself being a Raksas (a monster/devil), added to the dark myths associated with the lake.

Locals of the region used to avoid the Raksas Lake believing its unholy water will bring ill-luck. But when a goldfish was sent to Raksas Tal from Mansarovar Lake letting the holy water from Mansarovar flow into the Raksas Lake, people started believing that the Mansarovar water washed out all the poisons from the sinister lake. Now the people's fear of the Raksas Tal has receded.Whatever the myths say about the lake, Raksas Tal is visually divine and a visit to the lake can be an extremely fulfilling experience.