Thousands of people make a pilgrimage to Kailash on a yearly basis, as they follow a tradition that dates back thousands of years. There is more than one religion that believes walking around the mountain will remove sins, as well as bring good luck. This act is called circumambulation.
When one makes a pilgrimage around the sacred mountain, it is referred to as the Kailash Kora. Those who participant believe that one trip around the sacred mountain will wipe away all the sins (or bad karma) that has taken place in their current lifetime. 108 revolutions are thought to remove the sins associated with all of one’s lifetimes and bring salvation from reincarnation , which is called ‘moska.’ Salvation will also come to those who walk around the mountain once and take a bath in the icy-cold waters of Lake Mansarovar.
Climbing Mount Kailash is unheard of; as the pilgrims believe that to place your foot on the slopes is to commit a heavy act of sacrilege. This is a belief upheld by all four religions. Legend states that only one person has reached the peak of the mountain and that was the Buddhist, Milarepa, who did so in the 12th century. Those who have attempted to climb the mountain are said to have died in the process.
When pilgrims walk around the mountain, they are greeted by a rugged path that stretches 32 miles long. A mountain stream is also part of the terrain. Altitudes range from 15,000 feet at the start of a circumambulation and reach 19,000 feet at the Dolma Pass. Hindus and Buddhists complete a circumambulation by following a clockwise direction, while the Jain and Bön religions walk counterclockwise. It takes about three days to complete a circumambulation. Some believe that if you are able to complete the entire walk in just one day, then you will earn extra merit. The terrain is uneven and altitudes high. The weather can slow down your progress. However, some will finish the journey in about 15 hours.
Other pilgrims believe extra merit comes by taking longer to circle the mountain. Instead of walking, they perform body-length prostrations throughout the entire 32-mile trek. It is not uncommon to see pilgrims bending down, kneeling, prostrating full-length, making a mark with their fingers, rising to their knees, praying, and then crawling forward on hands and knees to the mark they made with their fingers. Then, the act is repeating. In this manner, the circumambulation takes at least four days to complete and the experience truly tests one’s physical endurance.
Those who visit the mountain find the holy site in an isolated region in the Tibetan Himalayas. You must be in the best of health to attempt the journey. Even reaching the starting point is difficult for some. In an effort to make the journey not as difficult, there are benches, refreshment kiosks and places to rest along the path.
The majority of pilgrims will take three days to finish the journey around the mountain. They start in the city of Darchen and make their way to the Drirapuk Monastery on the first night. When they cross Dolma La Pass, they arrive at Zutrulpuk Monastery for the second night. Lastly, they return to Darchen on the third day. Many travelers will come with their own tents and food, as accommodations at the monastery is not always available.