Why is Mt. Kailash important in Hinduism?

The sacred Mount Kailash peak is located in the Ngari Prefecture of Tibet, dominating the landscape of the remote region of western Tibet. According to several researchers, the name "Kailash" is derived from the word "Kelasa," which means crystal. The word "Keli" means "play," and "lasa" means "dance" in the true name. Thus, it is thought that Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati partake in their divine play at Kailash Parvat. The Shivling shape of the Kailash mountain makes it the manifestation of Shiva on Earth.

Mount Kailash is the epicenter of spirituality, thousands of pilgrims visit the holy Kailash mountain each year to seek the blessings of the almighty and attain spiritual purity. The two main activities of the pilgrims visiting the Kailash Mansarovar are taking a holy dip in Lake Manasarovar and participating in the three-day Mt. Kailash Parikrama circuit.

In addition to being fascinating, Mount Kailash is the holiest site for pilgrims because of its magnificent splendor. Mt. Kailash is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva in Hinduism, where he lives in a state of meditation with his consort Parvati and other devta gans. Hence, Hindus worship Mount Kailash as Lord Shiva’s throne. According to legend, Bhole Baba built Mount Kailash in the heart of the cosmos and made it his home using a tiny bit of dust that was extracted from his body.

The Hindu holy texts, the Vedas, mention Mount Kailash as a pathway between heaven and earth. According to the Mahabharata, the Pandavas, along with their consort Draupadi, scaled Mount Kailash to achieve Moksha. The four faces of Kailash mountain, which are made of crystal, ruby, gold, and lapis, are described in the Vishnu Puran. 

Mt. Kailash serves as a pillar for the earth and the hub of the cosmos. Hindu texts state that those who bathe in the Manasarovar Lake and perform the parikrama (circumambulation) around Mount Kailash are forgiven of their sins and freed from the rebirth and death cycle, and ultimately, they become one with Brahman (symbolically represented by Lord Shiva). One circle of the life cycle is thought to be equivalent to performing a single parikrama of Mt. Kailash, and it is said that if you encircle Mount Kailash 108 times, you will find salvation or nirvana.

The Kailash Parvat and Mansarovar Jheel are considered the ultimate pilgrimage sites on earth, and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is said to be the greatest of all the Tirtha.