Floods in Nepal-Tibet disrupt pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, a sacred mountain with centuries of evolving tradition

Floods on the Nepal-Tibet border on Aug. 26 destroyed the crossing most commonly used by pilgrims heading to Mount Kailash, a peak revered by Hindus, Tibetan Buddhists, and Jains alike. Hundreds of pilgrims were affected by the disruption to what is considered one of the world's most sacred mountains.

The piece traces how Kailash's identity as a fixed, climbable-adjacent pilgrimage site took centuries to settle, moving from a mythical cosmic mountain in ancient Indian epics to a specific peak in western Tibet only confirmed by 19th-century British colonial surveyors mapping river sources. Chinese and Indian governments now regulate access through permit quotas — 24,000 for Indian pilgrims this year, with demand exceeding that limit, and a separate 1,000-person lottery run by the Indian government.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.