Introduction: Mount Kailash (elevation 6,721 meters), the second highest peak of the Gangdise Mountains, is known as the "Mountain of the Gods" in Tibetan and as "Shiva's Paradise" (Shiva being the supreme god of Hinduism) in Sanskrit. It is regarded as the center of the world by Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism, the indigenous Bon religion of Tibet, and the ancient Jain religion. Circling Mount Kailash once is said to wash away all the sins of a lifetime; circling it ten times exempts one from suffering in hell for 500 rebirths; and circling it a hundred times leads to ascension and enlightenment. In the Year of the Horse, the year of Buddha’s birth, circling the mountain once is believed to generate the merit of thirteen ordinary circumambulations. For Tibetan people, circling this sacred mountain at least once in their lifetime is the greatest wish. In this auspicious year, we too wanted to circle this holy mountain, and it became our shared aspiration — from September 1 to September 9, 2014, we set out together on this kora (pilgrimage circuit).
