Mount Kailash is not only the main peak of the Gangdese Mountains, but is also one of the top ten famous mountains in China. As the second highest peak of the Gangdese Mountains, the height of Mount Kailash is 6,721 meters. It is recognized as the center of the world by hundreds of millions of believers from different religions， such as Hinduism, Jainism, Bonismo and Tibetan Buddhism, making it the holiest mountain of Buddhism. Because of the sacred status of Mount Kailash, an increasing number of tourists believe that one will get great merits if he could visit this mountain in person and do kora around it. At the foot of the mountain lies Lake Manasarovar, which is the highest freshwater lake in the world. It is just like a paradise on earth. According to the Buddhist classics, there is only one lake in the world called “the mother of the world’s rivers” - Lake Manasarovar.
“Kora” means an religious activity that people make pilgrimages by walking around a mountain or lake. There are many kora routes in Tibet, and a kora route around Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar is the one of the holiest, with thousands of pilgrims and tourists coming here to do kora every year. Then when is the best time to do kora at Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar throughout the year? This article will give you the answer.
There is such tradition in Tibet that people do kora around the mountains in the Chinese zodiac Year of Horse and do kora around the lakes in the Year of Sheep. Doing kora around mountains and lakes is a solemn and sacred religious activity. People believe that their sins will be eliminated if they do kora around Mount Kailash in the Year of Horse, and do kora around Lake Manasarovar or Namtso Lake in the Year of Sheep. Therefore, countless pilgrims have come here to do kora for the past thousands of years.
The Tibetan zodiac year is consistent with the Chinese zodiac year: The last Year of Horse was 2014, and the Year of Sheep, 2015; the next Year of Horse will be 2026, and the Year of Sheep, 2027. If you want to get more blessings, you need to wait until 2026 to do kora around Mount Kailash, and do kora around Lake Manasarovar in 2027. In fact, you can achieve the purpose of praying for a wish as long as you piously complete the kora journey around the lake or mountain. Therefore, you do not need to wait until the Year of Horse to do kora around the mountain, or wait until the Year of Sheep to do kora around the lake.
Firstly, the temperature during this period is pleasant, neither too low nor too high. Although you need to make unremitting efforts to complete the kora journey, there won’t be much dangers on the way because of the decreasing snow on the roads. Therefore, a kora during this period will be much easier.
Secondly, there will be many people doing kora during this period, so you can communicate with others and you won’t feel lonely on the way.
Thirdly, the supply sites along the way will normally open during this period, guaranteeing sufficient material supplement for pilgrims.
Firstly, most of the kora routes will be covered with snow during this period, making a kora journey more difficult and increasing dangers for the journey.
Secondly, the temperature in Mount Kailash during this period is relatively low and the air is thin, so people are more likely to get altitude sickness, which is bad for outdoor activities.
Lastly, only a few supply sites along the way will open during this period. So materials can’t be supplied easily, which will be unfavorable for a kora journey.
April 15th of Tibetan lunar calendar is a day when one of the most important Tibetan festival falls - the Saga Dawa Festival. A lot of activities would be held to celebrate the festival on this day. And gradually, those activities changed into large-scale kora activity.
Saga Dawa Festival usually falls between May and July of solar calendar. It is said that people can get greater merits if they do kora on the day of festival. Therefore, May to July has become the best time to do kora around Mount Kailash. If possible, it is best to do kora on the day of Saga Dawa Festival.
If you miss the Saga Dawa Festival, you can do kora on any days between May and October. Knowing more about the Tibetan regions and culture will be more helpful. And you can get larger merits if you do kora with a pious attitude.
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