There are countless mountains on Earth, almost every one of which has been conquered by humans. Humans have also conquered the world's highest mountain range, Everest. Mount Everest is 29,000 feet high, and hundreds of people have climbed it, but Kailash is a mountain that is only 22,000 feet high, yet no one has been able to climb it to date. One reason behind this is that in the year 2001, China completely banned climbing Mount Kailash. This ban was implemented for religious sensitivity and environmental protection.
Mount Kailash is known not only for its geographical structure but also for its spiritual and mysterious powers. People of the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh religions visit this mountain every year. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will start on June 30 in the year 2025.
Attempts and failures to climb Mount Kailash
So far, many mountaineers have tried to climb Mount Kailash, but every attempt has been unsuccessful. In 2007, Russian mountaineer Sergey Sistikov, along with his team, made an unsuccessful attempt to climb Kailash. Sergey and his team reached some height, but as the height increased, Sergey and his entire team started having severe headaches, muscle cramps, and breathing problems. According to Sergey, "I felt that this mountain is not accepting me. I thought it better to stop climbing and come down." However, it could not be ascertained whether Sergey's journey was authorised or unauthorised because China had banned climbing Kailash in the year 2001 itself.
Another climber, Colonel Wilson, tried several times, but each time the weather suddenly deteriorated and he had to return. Such incidents have given Kailash the status of a 'divinely protected area.'
Experiences of those who climbed Mount Kailash
Sergey Sistikov of Mount Kailash and Colonel Wilson's team shared their experiences of Kailash. They told that-
- Here, the hair and nails start growing abnormally fast.
- Some climbers have felt a distortion of time here and said that it seems as if time is passing faster here.
- Signs of ageing suddenly start appearing on the body; wrinkles and tiredness start appearing on the face.
- There is an untold power in the air here that forces the mind and body to feel uneasy.
China's initiative faces global opposition
Some time ago, the Chinese government had prepared a special team of mountaineers to climb Kailash, but as soon as the news came out, spiritual and religious communities around the world started opposing it. People considered it an interference in the abode of Lord Shiva, calling it an attempt to desecrate it. Ultimately, China had to postpone this plan and declare Kailash a 'no-climb zone.'
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