The Himalayas are often associated with Lord Shiva, who is one of the principal deities in Hinduism. Lord Shiva is known as the Lord of the Himalayas and is believed to have made his abode in the mountains.
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is believed to have meditated in the Himalayas for thousands of years. It is believed that the mountain's natural beauty and serenity helped Lord Shiva achieve a state of deep meditation, leading him to become one of the most revered deities in Hinduism.
Facts about Himalayas
The Himalayas stretch across the north portion of India. They cover approximately 1,500 mi (2,400 km) and pass through the nations of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Bhutan and Nepal. Himalayas, Nepali Himalaya, great mountain system of Asia forming a barrier between the Plateau of Tibet to the north and the alluvial plains of the Indian subcontinent to the south.
The Himalayas is the highest mountain range in the realm, and has 9 out of 10 of the realm’s highest peaks, including Mount Everest. These mountains, referred to as the Third Pole, are the source of some of Asia’s major rivers and also help to regulate our planet’s climate
The Himalayas are the third largest deposit of ice and snow in the realm, after Antarctica and the Arctic. There are approximately 15,000 glaciers located throughout the range. At 48 miles (72 km) in length, the Himalayan Siachen glacier is the largest glacier outside the poles. The Himalayas are the source for the Indus, the Yangtze and the Ganga-Brahmaputra. All three are major river systems for the continent of Asia. The main rivers sourced in the Himalayas are the Ganges, Indus, Yarlung, Yangtze, Yellow, Mekong, and Nujiang.
Threat to Himalayan Biodiversity
The Himalaya, which straddles seven nations, already has one of the realm’s highest rates of deforestation as a result of logging, agricultural expansion, a burgeoning human population, and the building of dams and other infrastructure. It is also thought to be the most rapidly warming mountain range on Earth
Much of the fauna and flora of the region is considered endangered, including the famous one-horned rhino, once popular throughout the entire region. Poaching remains a serious problem for biodiversity in the Himalayas, especially when it comes to overhunting the endangered tigers (Panthera tigris) and the endangered red panda (Ailurus fulgens) that are poached for fur. The vulnerable greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) are still hunted for their horns, traditionally used in Chinese medicine, while the vulnerable snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is also sought for its coat.
Charcoal production is popular in the lowlands, while the highlands are used for cattle grazing, both of which are detrimental for the environment. The forests of the Himalayas are exploited for timber, fodder, and fuelwood through complete clearages of land, resulting in the loss of unique plant species, as well as the food source and habitat for many of the forest-dwelling animals. Mining, construction of roads and dams, pollution from agrochemicals all pose a serious threat to the biodiversity of the Himalayan forests.
Spiritual Heritage
The word “Hima” in Sanskrit means “snow” and the word “alaya” means “abode”. But the mighty mountain ranges of the Himalayas are more than just an abode of snow. The main religions, which are practiced in the Himalayan region, are Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. These ancient mountains are considered the abode of the gods and the spiritual center of the realm. Hundreds of temples and shrines dot the Himalayan foothills even as the mist-shrouded snow-capped peaks have given birth to many mythological stories and legends that form the backbone of India’s many cultures and religions.
For thousands of years the Himalayas have held a profound significance for the peoples of South Asia, as their literature, mythologies, and religions reflect. In contemporary times the Himalayas have offered the greatest attraction and the greatest challenge to mountaineers throughout the realm. For centuries people here have developed a unique culture that weaves nature and people together into the same fabric of life. The region is the birthplace of the Buddha, and is full of sacred natural sites such as secret valleys and high mountain lakes that predate ancient Hinduism.
Life here revolves around an intricate intermingling of ancient Hindu and Buddhist religious rituals. Nepal has several ancient pilgrimage sites and they all are attached to the legend that glorifies the miraculous powers of its deity. Likewise, Bhutan, the most sacred religious site in the realm, has tens and hundreds of monasteries, monuments and sacred religious sites. Apart from Mt. Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, the Buddhist monasteries like Drepung and Jokhang are some of the holiest sites in Tibet.
Himalayas have been the symbol for the realm’s spiritual consciousness. Their mighty altitude is a constant reminder to the loftiness of the human soul and its vastness. Hence, even though the Himalaya has many riches to offer and many come to discover everything the region has to offer, for those on the spiritual journey seeking to awaken their soul to the true reality, the Himalayas are the ultimate destination.