Kailasha

Kailasha, also called Kailasa, is the heavenly home of the Hindu god Shiva. It is believed to be a mountain where Shiva lives with his wife Parvati and their children, Ganesha and Kartikeya. Mount Kailash, a real mountain in western Tibet, is thought to be the earthly version of this sacred place.

 Etymology 
The name is given as "" (; var.  ) in Sanskrit. It could have been derived from the word "" (), which means "crystal".

 Theology and mythology 
Kailasha is said to be protected by Shiva's followers, called ganas, who are led by Nandi, the bull who also serves as Shiva's mount. According to Hindu texts called the Puranas, Shiva and Parvati often sit in Kailasha and talk about deep Hindu ideas and philosophies. Other gods and divine beings are also said to gather there to watch Shiva perform a cosmic dance as Nataraja, the Lord of Dance.

 Geographical location 
Mount Kailasha located in the Kailasha Range (Gangdisê Mountains) of the Transhimalaya, in the western part of the Tibetan Plateau is considered to be a geographic manifestation of Kailasha and is considered sacred in Hinduism. Multiple rivers originate from these mountains including the Yarlung Tsangpo (which becomes the Brahmaputra), the Indus, the Sutlej and the Karnali, a tributary of Ganges. All these river systems originate in a  area in the Kailasha region. Kailasha is located close to Manasarovar and Rakshastal lakes. Mansarovar is a high altitude fresh water lake fed by glaciers and overflows into Rakshastal, an endorheic salt water lake.

 References 

Category:Hindu mythology