Himalaya Dhama: The Mountain Abodes
Trek to Kedarnath at 12,000 feet where Shiva's hump emerged when he dived into earth as a bull to escape the Pandavas. Explore the Pancha Kedar circuit. Then descend to Kashi, the eternal city where Shiva whispers the taraka mantra to the dying, promising liberation to all who die here.
Lessons in this chapter
- Kedarnath: The Hump of the Divine Bull — Where Shiva dived into earth as a bull
- Pancha Kedar: The Five Sacred Sites — Shiva's body parts across five Himalayan temples
- Kashi Vishwanath: The Eternal City — Where Shiva whispers the taraka mantra to the dying
- Gyanvapi: History and Controversy — The temple-mosque complex and its layers of history
- Mrityu Moksha: Death and Liberation in Kashi — Why Hindus want to die in Varanasi