Manimahesh Kailash Peak
Encyclopedia
The Manimahesh Kailash Peak, also known as Chamba Kailash, which stands towering high over the Manimahesh Lake
, is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, the (Hindu deity). It is located in the Bharmour
subdivision of the Chamba district
in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh
. The peak is 26 kilometres (16.2 mi) from Bharmour in the Budhil valley. It is one of the major pilgrimage sites in Himachal Pradesh. The Manimahesh Lake is at the base of the Kailash peak at 5653 metres (18,546.6 ft) and both are held in deep veneration by people of Himachal Pradesh, particularly the Gaddi tribes of the region, as the abode of Lord Shiva. In the month of Bhadon
, on the eighth day of the new moon
period a fair is held in the precincts of the lake that attracts thousands of pilgrims.
Manimahesh Kailash has not been successfully summitted by mountaineers and is thus a virgin peak. An attempt to climb the peak in 1968 by an Indo
–Japanese team led by Nandini Patel was aborted. This failure is attributed to the divine prowess of the peak since it is revered as the holy mountain of Chamba
according to the staunch devotees of the Manimahesh Lake and the peak.
In one popular legend, it is believed that Lord Shiva created Manimahesh after he married Goddess Parvati
, who is worshipped as Mata Gorja. There are many other legends narrated linking Lord Shiva and his show of displeasure through avalanches and blizzards that occur in the region.
According to a local myth, Lord Shiva is believed to reside in Manimahesh Kailash. A rock formation in the form of a Shivling
on this mountain is considered as the manifestation of Lord Shiva. The snow field at the base of the mountain is called by the local people as Shiva's Chaugan
(play field).
It is also believed that Manimahesh Kailash is invincible as no one has so far scaled it, in spite of claims to the contrary and the fact that much taller peaks have been scaled, including Mount Everest
. According to one legend, a local tribe, a Gaddi, tried to climb along with a herd of sheep and is believed to have been turned into stone along with his sheep. The series of minor peaks around the principal peak are believed to be the remnants of the shepherd and his sheep.
Another legend narrated is that a snake also attempted to climb the mountain but failed and was converted into stone. Devotees believe that that they can view the peak only if the Lord wishes so. Bad weather covering the peak with clouds is also explained as a displeasure of the Lord.
on the one side and Ravi
and Beas
on the other side.
A research study has been carried out on the glacial status of this peak and its range by the Geological Survey of India
. It indicated that the Manimahesh Kailash peak is part of the range, which is 4.6 kilometres (2.9 mi) long. The average elevation of the studied peaks is 4960 metres (16,273 ft). The glacial melt from this range flows towards the north and extends over an area of 4.58 square kilometre. The ice content of the glacier has been assessed as 0.137 cubic km. The composition of this proglacial region is reported to be a
Manimahesh Lake
Manimahesh Lake is a high altitude lake situated close to the Manimahesh Kailash Peak in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, in the Bharmour subdivision of Chamba district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh...
, is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, the (Hindu deity). It is located in the Bharmour
Bharmour
Bharmour, formally known as Brahmpura, was the ancient capital of Chamba district, India. Situated at an altitude of 7000 feet in the Budhil valley , forty miles to the south-east of Chamba, Bharmour is known for its scenic beauty and for its ancient temples...
subdivision of the Chamba district
Chamba district
Chamba is the northwestern district of Himachal Pradesh, in India, with its headquarters in Chamba town. The towns of Dalhousie and Khajjhiar are popular hill stations and vacation spots for the people from the plains of northern India....
in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
. The peak is 26 kilometres (16.2 mi) from Bharmour in the Budhil valley. It is one of the major pilgrimage sites in Himachal Pradesh. The Manimahesh Lake is at the base of the Kailash peak at 5653 metres (18,546.6 ft) and both are held in deep veneration by people of Himachal Pradesh, particularly the Gaddi tribes of the region, as the abode of Lord Shiva. In the month of Bhadon
Bhadon
Bhadon is the sixth month of the Nanakshahi calendar. This month coincides with August and September in the Gregorian and Julian calendars and is 31 days long.-August:* August 16 - The start of the month...
, on the eighth day of the new moon
New moon
In astronomical terminology, the new moon is the lunar phase that occurs when the Moon, in its monthly orbital motion around Earth, lies between Earth and the Sun, and is therefore in conjunction with the Sun as seen from Earth...
period a fair is held in the precincts of the lake that attracts thousands of pilgrims.
Manimahesh Kailash has not been successfully summitted by mountaineers and is thus a virgin peak. An attempt to climb the peak in 1968 by an Indo
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
–Japanese team led by Nandini Patel was aborted. This failure is attributed to the divine prowess of the peak since it is revered as the holy mountain of Chamba
Chamba, Himachal Pradesh
Chamba is an ancient town in the Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, in northern India. According to the 2001 Indian census, Chamba has a population of 20,312 people...
according to the staunch devotees of the Manimahesh Lake and the peak.
Legends
There are several mythical legends narrated on the sanctity of this peak and the lake at its base.In one popular legend, it is believed that Lord Shiva created Manimahesh after he married Goddess Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
, who is worshipped as Mata Gorja. There are many other legends narrated linking Lord Shiva and his show of displeasure through avalanches and blizzards that occur in the region.
According to a local myth, Lord Shiva is believed to reside in Manimahesh Kailash. A rock formation in the form of a Shivling
Lingam
The Lingam is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples....
on this mountain is considered as the manifestation of Lord Shiva. The snow field at the base of the mountain is called by the local people as Shiva's Chaugan
Chaugan
Chaugan is the term used in Himachal for plains. The chaugan of Himachal Pradesh are at Chamba district, Sujanpur, and at Jaisinghpur.- Chaugan :...
(play field).
It is also believed that Manimahesh Kailash is invincible as no one has so far scaled it, in spite of claims to the contrary and the fact that much taller peaks have been scaled, including Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
. According to one legend, a local tribe, a Gaddi, tried to climb along with a herd of sheep and is believed to have been turned into stone along with his sheep. The series of minor peaks around the principal peak are believed to be the remnants of the shepherd and his sheep.
Another legend narrated is that a snake also attempted to climb the mountain but failed and was converted into stone. Devotees believe that that they can view the peak only if the Lord wishes so. Bad weather covering the peak with clouds is also explained as a displeasure of the Lord.
Geography
Manimahesh Kailash or Mountain Kailash is in the watershed of the Budhil valley, which forms part the mid-Himalayan range of hills near Kugti pass and at Harsar. The perpetually snow-covered glacial peak, at the head of its own range, is the source of the sacred lake of Manimahesh situated beneath it. Manimahesh Ganga River originates in a cascade from the lake and joins the Budhil River on its left bank. This hill range is a contiguous spur that conjoins the main range near the Bara Banghal pass of the Pir Panjal range. After the Budhal River rises from the slopes of the Kukti (Kugati) pass and Bada Bangal pass, the watershed formed by the Budhil and Ravi rivers takes the form of an inverted triangle with its base at Khadamukh. Budhil itself is formed by several streams which rise from different faces of the Manimahesh Kailas peak. The streams which rise from the peak are: the 'Bhujla' (derived from Bhuja meaning the arm) from the left flank of the peak, which meets Bhudil (also spelt Budhal) below Kukti village; the Dhancho nala, rising from the snowy ranges of the southern flank of the peak, flows in northward direction; Androl stream carrying holy waters of the Manimahesh Lake flowing to the north of the peak and through the Barachundi Meadow, the Siv Karotar stream rises from the foot of the peak and joins Androl; and the Gauri stream from the Gauri Kund joins Androl. All these streams constitute the Dhancho nala that confluences with Budhil at Hadsar. In view of so many streams originating from the Manimhesah Peak and the Manimhaesh Lake, and all of which are also linked to legends and the annual yatra pilgrimage, the Budhal or Budhil River is also highly venerated by the Gaddi elders and is nicknamed as 'Bhujl'. Pir Pinjal lies in the lesser Himalayan Zone, which forms the central part of the state of Himachal Pradesh. The peak lies along the water shed between the Chenab RiverChenab River
The Chenab River چنRiver' آب) is a major river of Jammu and Kashmir and the Punjab in Pakistan. It forms in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows through the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir into the plains of the Punjab, Pakistan...
on the one side and Ravi
Ravi River
The Ravi is a trans-boundary river flowing through Northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. It is one of the six rivers of the Indus System in Punjab region ....
and Beas
Beas River
The Beas River is a river in the northern part of India. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some 470 km to the Sutlej River in the Indian state of Punjab....
on the other side.
A research study has been carried out on the glacial status of this peak and its range by the Geological Survey of India
Geological Survey of India
Geological Survey of India , established in 1851 is a government organization in India which is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines of Union Government of India for conducting geological surveys and studies. It is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and the second oldest...
. It indicated that the Manimahesh Kailash peak is part of the range, which is 4.6 kilometres (2.9 mi) long. The average elevation of the studied peaks is 4960 metres (16,273 ft). The glacial melt from this range flows towards the north and extends over an area of 4.58 square kilometre. The ice content of the glacier has been assessed as 0.137 cubic km. The composition of this proglacial region is reported to be a
Climb
Possibilities of climbing the Manimahesh peak, an important peak in the Chamba region, has been examined vis-a-vis the past failed attempts. It is assessed that the ascent and descent of the peak could be achieved in 3 days along a traverse of the N ridge and E flank into the Nainoni Valley and down to Kugti village. However, the rock conditions are assessed to be poor at higher elevations of the peak. The reported past attempts of an Indo-Japanese women's team in 1965, the Italian POW escape in 1945 and an ascent said to have been achieved in 1990 are all inferred as "fanciful".See also
- BharmourBharmourBharmour, formally known as Brahmpura, was the ancient capital of Chamba district, India. Situated at an altitude of 7000 feet in the Budhil valley , forty miles to the south-east of Chamba, Bharmour is known for its scenic beauty and for its ancient temples...
- Chamba, Himachal PradeshChamba, Himachal PradeshChamba is an ancient town in the Chamba district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, in northern India. According to the 2001 Indian census, Chamba has a population of 20,312 people...
- Lake ManasarovarLake ManasarovarLake Manasarovar, Mapam Yumco , or Manasa Sarovar/Lake Manas , is a fresh-water lake in Tibet Autonomous Region of China approximately from Lhasa. To the west of Lake Manasa Sarovar is Lake Rakshastal and towards the north is Mount Kailash...
- Pir Panjal RangePir Panjal RangeThe Pir Panjal ranges lie in the Inner Himalayan region, running from east southeast to west northwest across the states of Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir in India as well as Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where the average elevation varies from to . The Himalayas show a gradual elevation towards...
- Himalaya
- Manimahesh LakeManimahesh LakeManimahesh Lake is a high altitude lake situated close to the Manimahesh Kailash Peak in the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, in the Bharmour subdivision of Chamba district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh...