The Aug 26th catastrophe along the Nepal–Tibet border has brought immense sorrow to families across the world.
Among those caught in a glacier collapse and an ice-rock avalanche that unleashed destructive flash floods and mudslides were hundreds of pilgrims, including 55 Malaysians travelling to or returning from Mount Kailash, the sacred mountain revered as the abode of Lord Shiva.
For many spiritual seekers, a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash is not an ordinary journey.
It is a once-in-a-lifetime wish, nurtured quietly for years.
Others believe that no amount of planning is sufficient unless they first receive a divine calling.
Devotees say one does not choose Kailash; Kailash must invite you.
What makes this distant mountain so powerful?
Mount Kailash, located in Tibet, rises more than 6,600 metres above sea level, yet its significance cannot be measured by height alone.
There is no recorded date when it was “discovered”, nor can its discovery be credited to a single explorer.
Himalayan communities have known and revered it for countless generations, and it appears in the sacred traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon.
In Hindu cosmology, Kailash is associated with Mount Meru, the spiritual centre of the universe.
The Puranas (ancient narratives) describe Lord Shiva, the supreme yogi, seated there in eternal meditation with Goddess Parvati.
The mountain’s majestic stillness, remoteness and untouched summit naturally embody Shiva’s qualities of detachment, the destruction of ego and spiritual transformation.
The mountain itself remains unclimbed out of reverence.
Pilgrims do not attempt to conquer its summit.
Instead, they undertake the kora, a physically demanding, high-altitude, rugged-terrain, and harsh-weather circumambulation of about 52 kilometres.
The journey includes steep ascents, freezing winds, unpredictable weather and thin air.
Yet the hardship does not deter the young or the old.
This is because pilgrims do not travel there for comfort.
They go seeking purification, surrender and a direct encounter with the divine.
In everyday life, we often believe that strength means controlling our circumstances.
At Kailash, nature strips away that illusion. The pilgrim learns humility with every slow step and every difficult breath.
Several friends who completed the pilgrimage have shared photographs of the snow-covered peak, Lake Manasarovar, prayer flags and the vast, silent landscape.
Nanthakumar M. Rajoo, from Johor, who has made four pilgrimages to Mount Kailash, described the experience simply: no words can capture the overwhelming sight of the sacred mountain when one finally reaches its foot.
It is an experience that cannot be explained but must be felt by the soul.
Despite the recent disaster, Nanthakumar remains undeterred and plans to make his fifth pilgrimage next year.
“Mount Kailash is not a destination for a casual adventure, selfies, or social media posts. It is a sacred space for spiritual reflection and connecting with the divine energies,” he said.
I, too, have made several plans to undertake this holy journey.
However, because of concerns about altitude sickness, I have continued to hold back.
Perhaps my time has not yet come, or perhaps the mountain is teaching me patience from afar.
The closest I have come to the majestic Himalayas was on a one-hour mountain flight from Kathmandu, offering breathtaking views of Mount Everest and the sacred range revered as the abode of the gods.
Some devotees travel to Kailash believing it may be their final journey.
Some even wish to take their last breath there. To those outside the tradition, this may be hard to understand.
Why would anyone feel blessed to pass away at the foot of a remote mountain?
The answer lies in the Hindu understanding of death.
Death is not viewed as an absolute ending but as a transition of the soul.
To die on holy ground, with the mind fixed on God and free from worldly attachment, is regarded as spiritually auspicious.
At Kailash, devotees feel extraordinarily close to Lord Shiva, who represents both dissolution and transformation.
The mountain deserves not only devotion but also respect.
The latest tragedy reminds us how fragile human plans can be.
Pilgrims had begun their journeys. Their families expected photographs, messages and joyful stories when they returned.
Instead, many are now enduring an agonising silence, unable to reach their loved ones after roads, bridges and communication links were destroyed.
We must allow rescuers and the authorities to carry out their difficult work, while offering the families compassion rather than conclusions.
A person who cannot be contacted is not necessarily lost.
In remote Himalayan terrain, damaged telecommunications and blocked routes can leave survivors isolated for days.
Let us therefore continue to pray with hope.
May those who are missing have found shelter on higher ground.
May they be receiving help from villagers, guides, monks, rescue workers or fellow pilgrims. May communication soon be restored, allowing them to tell their anxious families, “I am safe.”
We should also pray for those who have died, for the injured and for the rescuers risking their lives in treacherous conditions.
Our compassion must extend to the local communities whose homes and livelihoods have been swept away.
Mount Kailash has always symbolised eternity, while human life is uncertain and brief.
The lesson is not to live in fear, but to live with greater awareness, gratitude and surrender. Whether or not we ever receive the calling to stand before that revered peak, we can still cultivate what Kailash represents within us: stillness, humility, courage and closeness to the Divine.
For now, let our prayers rise towards the Himalayas, the world’s highest mountain range, for the safety of the thousands who remain unaccounted for.
May hope remain stronger than fear, and may the missing return home safely to the arms of those waiting for them.
Let this calamity be a warning that global warming is rapidly accelerating glacier melt and a
solemn reminder that human beings must respect nature, avoid environmental exploitation, and never underestimate the Himalayas.Award-winning writer Dr. T. Selva is the author of the bestselling books Vasthu Sastra Guide and Secrets of Happy Living. To obtain a copy, WhatsApp 019-2728464. He can be reached at drtselvas@gmail.com. Website: www.vasthuguide.com.
