Sri Lanka (2,243 m) – Sacred Mountain of Sri Lanka Sri Pada is one of the most universally sacred mountains in the Far East. A towering, almost perfectly conical peak, it is considered to be an important religious site by Buddhists and Hindus as well as by Muslims and Christians. Its name means “butterfly mountain”, and though primarily a Buddhist site, is also known as … [Read more...]
MOUNT KAILASH
China (6,638 m) – Home to Shiva in Hinduism and Demchok in Tantric Buddhism Mount Kailash in southwestern China is one of the great peaks of the Tibetan plateau, and one of the holiest mountains in all of Asia. Located near the borders of India and Nepal, the region of the mountain is the source of the Indus River as well as a major tributary of the Ganges River. The exact … [Read more...]
ARUNACHALA HILL
India (N/A) – One of the most Sacred Hindu Sites in Southern India Arunachala Hill is the most sacred Hindu mountain in southern India, where it is home to one of the five great Shaivite shrines. Unlike its sacred cousins in the north, which are lost amidst the Himalayas and are largely inaccessible, Arunachala is a semi-solitary peak located just outside of a major city. At … [Read more...]
MACHAPUCHARE
Nepal (6,993 m) – Sacred Hindu Mountain Machapuchare is one of the great peaks of Nepal, and one of the most sacred Hindu mountains outside of India. Sometimes called the Matterhorn of Nepal, it s famously resemblant of its European Twin. Its name means Fish Tail. Located in the Annapurna Himalaya, Machapuchare has been considered sacred by Hindus from antiquity. … [Read more...]
GANGBAL LAKE
Jammu & Kashmir – Lake of the Ashes of the Dead Gangbal Lake is arguably the most sacred body of water in India that is not a river. Located close to Mount Haramukh, it shares a history and culture with that sacred mountain devoted devoted to Lord Shiva, and many pilgrims to the area often visit both sites. Pilgrimages to the high mountain lake are very popular during the … [Read more...]
GOVARDHAN
Uttar Pradesh (179 m) – Sacred Hill of Lord Krishna Govardhan Hill, located between New Delhi and Agra, is one of the most accessible of the major sacred Hindu mountains in India. It is believed to have been a sacred site going back to primordial times. In these early days, evidence indicates that the hill was once home to followers of Indra, the god of rain and storms. But he … [Read more...]
TRIKUTA
Jammu & Kashmir (1,585 m) – Sacred Mountain of Vaishno Devi Trikuta is actually a mythical mountain of Hindu legend, one of twenty that serve as foothills to the greatest mountain in Hindu cosmology, Meru. As the story goes, Trikuta is inhabited by several gods, and boasts, among other thing, magnificent gardens and lakes, frolicking elephants and triple peaks of iron, … [Read more...]
HARMUKH
Jammu & Kashmir (5,142 m) - Home of Lord Shiva Mount Harmukh is another of the mountains closely associated with the god Shiva, another possible location of his residence on Earth. It is also believed to be a place where a local man achieved Nirvana. Because of this, and because it is both more accessible and easier to ascend than many other mountains in this region of the … [Read more...]
MANIMAHESH KAILASH
Himachal Pradesh (5,653 m) – Home of Lord Shiva Manimahesh Kailash is one of the greatest mountains in India and among the most sacred mountains in the Hindu tradition. According to some legends, Manimahesh Kailash is one of the homes of Lord Shiva, one of the chief Hindu deities. This tradition is strong in particular because the mountain has yet to be successfully … [Read more...]
NANDA DEVI
Uttar Pradesh (7,816 m) – Sacred Mountain of the Goddesses Nanda and Sunanda Nanda Devi is arguably India’s most famous mountain. The tallest mountain located entirely within India’s borders, it is famous for several reasons. First, it is home to one of the world’s biosphere reserves, and as such has been declared a world heritage site. Second, its glacier is one of the three … [Read more...]
