Nirvana: Places to Get Holy

Reprinted with permission from Sacred Places: 101 Spiritual Sites Around the World ©2000 Brad Olsen
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Mount Kailas
Mount Kailas soars 22,028 feet above the remote western Tibetan Plateau. The sacred peak is situated far away from any life, in a sort of lunar landscape. Circling the lingim-shaped mountain is a pilgrimage route known as the Kora, a 32-mile (52 km) path that circles the mountain. Prostrating themselves on the ground along the way, pilgrims have come to Kailas for thousands of years to behold this profoundly spiritual place. Most come to walk the Kora. The biggest challenge of the trek is crossing the Dolma La Pass at 18,300 feet. Stupas, icons and prayer flags from several faiths adorn the Kora on the outer slopes of Kailas. Both Hindus and Buddhists consider a pilgrimage to Mount Kailas as the highest point of a spiritual life. Kailas represents Asia's most sacred mountain to millions of faithful adherents of several religions.

Festivals abound year-round at Mount Kailas. Perhaps the most prominent celebration is the spring full-moon festival honoring Buddha's birthday, enlightenment, and death. Drumming through the night, Khumba monks chant and dance under the silver glow of the moon, joined by those from other religious persuasions. As all faiths merge into one while under the white-domed power of Kailas, an ongoing drama of renunciation and revelation continues as it has for thousands of years. The 11th-century Tibetan saint Milarepa spoke of this peak: "The prophecy of the Buddha says, most truly, that this snow mountain is the navel of the world, a place where the snow leopards dance."

Mecca and Medina
In the early 600's CE, when the soon-to-be-prophet Mohammed lived in Mecca as a trader, the city was a small but crowded place of about 3,000 people. Mecca resides in a forbiddingly dry and sandy valley surrounded by a double range of desolate and treeless hills. The only thing that made life possible here was the well of Zamzam in the town square. Also in the middle of town was the Kaba, a box-like shrine that contains a sacred black meteorite. Mecca and the Kaba would soon become the holiest place in the world to followers of the new Islamic religion. Mohammed moved his ministry to Medina soon after his revelations began in 610 CE. The principle revelations were conveyed to Mohammed through the archangel Gabriel. These visions continued with him up until his death in Medina in 632. Medina became the new administrative center for the expanding Muslim empire. As the adopted capital and city where Allah's word spread through Mohammed, Medina is second only to nearby Mecca as a pilgrimage city. They are the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world, and the ultimate goal for one billion believers of Islam.

At the time of the Hajj pilgrimage, which occurs once a year by the lunar calendar, as many as four million gather for a period of about six days. The pilgrims circle the Kaba, drink from the miraculous well of Zamzam, pray in white tents on the plain of Mina, then return to the Kaba for one incredible moment when thousands of devotees touch their forehead to the ground in awe of Allah, then shout "Allah-Hu Akbar" in unison. This chant meaning "Allah is greater than anything" reverberates throughout Mecca and can be heard from miles away.

Tourist visas are not available for travel in Saudi Arabia, and visas of other sorts are very difficult to obtain. Pilgrims wishing to visit Saudi Arabia's holy cities must arrange to obtain a visitor's visa from someone already in the country who can verify the visitor's faith. The two holiest sites of Islam, Mecca and Medina, are strictly off-limits to non-Muslims. Steep fines are imposed for just turning up at the checkpoints to the sacred cities. Use the special road exits for non-Muslims approaching the holy cities, or else you'll be in big trouble! All pilgrims coming to the Kingdom have special visas that declare their religious status in Arabic.

The River Ganges
The River Ganges is Mother Earth to millions of Hindus. She is commonly referred to as "Mother Ganga." The Ganges is an extremely sacred river, a highly revered and physically dynamic life force to the Hindu faith. Millions throughout India make a pilgrimage every year. Through the centuries, countless yogis have left blessings along her banks. Thousands of temples adorn the shores of the Ganges, and every day bells ring to call the devout to worship and bathe at their nearest Ganga temple. Hindus believe that washing the body in the River Ganges removes karmic blocks and cleanses past sins. To a new disciple, a Hindu would say, "Don't mind the floating garbage-it is merely an indication of Mother Earth's presently polluted state. Have faith, jump in and let yourself be engulfed by her warm embrace!"

Hundreds of bathing and burial ghats grace the shores of the Ganges, with the highest concentration in the holy city of Varanasi (Benares). Varanasi is a destination to which every devout Hindu attempts to make at least one pilgrimage, especially near death. A slow boat trip on the River Ganges at dawn, past 1,500 temples, shrines, palaces, burning ghats and bathing ghats, where thousands of pilgrims come daily to wash away their sins, is one of the greatest spiritual sights in the world.

Rishikesh is a famous town on the Ganges; the name literally translated as "village of seers." For centuries it has attracted saints, sadhus and all those wishing to become rishis, or seers. Rishikesh is located in the Himalayan foothills, close to where the River Ganges emerges from the mountains.