Continent: Asia
Genre: Travel, Non-fiction
Sent in by: Sandra
Colin Thubron, respected travel writer, journeys to Mount Kailas in the Tibetan Himalayas. The huge pyramid-shaped prominence has never been (humanly) climbed. However, circumambulation, clockwise by Hindus and Buddhists, counter-clockwise by Jain and Bono devotees, brings blessings upon individuals, families and villages. Amidst a cocktail of deities - it is difficult to differentiate between Hindu and Buddhist beliefs - Colin tells of ancient religious traditions, laced with recent political impositions. Endurance and religious zeal is demonstrated by people he meets and illustrated by the numerous temples, shrines and sacrifices he describes. His personal response makes it accessible to western readers.
