Manimahesh Kailash Peak

About

Manimahesh Kailash, also known as Chamba Kailash, is a mountain in the Himalayas, and one of the Panch Kailash mountains mentioned in Sanātana Dharma. At a height of 5,653 metres (18, 547 ft), it stands high over the Manimahesh Lake, and is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, the Hindu deity. It is also believed that the Hindu deity Shiva's disciple Mani lives here, and that Shiva occasionally comes to this mountain for some time. It is located in the Bharmour subdivision of the Chamba district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is the fifth most important peak among the group of five separate peaks in Himalayas in separate locations collectively known as the Panch Kailash or "Five Kailashas", the others being Mount Kailash in first place, Adi Kailash in second, Shikhar Kailash (Shrikhand Mahadev Kailash) in third, and Kinnaur Kailash in fourth place in terms of importance. The peak is 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Bharmour in the Budhil valley. It is one of the major pilgrimage sites as well as a popular trekking destination in Himachal Pradesh. The Manimahesh Lake is at the base of the Kailash peak at 3,950 metres (12, 960 ft) and is also held in deep veneration by people of Himachal Pradesh, particularly the Gaddi tribe of the region. 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

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.