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Shri Ashtapad Maha Tirth - II
No. 1 on the map (Fig.2) shows Mount Kailash, no. 2 shows Bonari near Kailash, no. 3 shows Barkha plains, no. 4 shows Tarboche, no. 5 shows Nandi Parvat, no. 6 shows mountain between Serlung Gompa and Gyangdrag monastery, no. 7 shows Gyangdrag monastery, no. 8 shows 13 Drigung Kagyu Chorten, no. 9 shows the probable site of Ashtapad known as Gombo Phang or Trinetra or Mahakal, no. 10 shows the site detected using satellite data by the author and known as Dharma King Norsang.
1. Kailash
People believed that Kailash and Ashtapad are not different and Mount Kailash is the Ashtapad Mountain only. In 'Trishasthi Salaka Purush Charitra' by Kalikal Sarvagna Hemchandracharya, Kailash itself is Ashtapad (Ref. 42). John Snelling has written in his book that Kailash is called Ashtapad (Ref. 42). Pranavanand Swami has also mentioned that Kailash is Ashtapad (Ref. 43). From literature we know that it remains covered with snow. It is difficult to climb the Kailash which also matches description found in literature for Ashtapad. Thus the main and first claimant of Ashtapad is believed to be the Mount Kailash itself. But other research workers do not agree with this theory (Ref. 44). According to Jaswant Rai Busa, Ashtapad is different from Kailash (Vol. VIII pg. 3215). Kailash has a steep slope and is covered with snow all over all year around. Where could have been the construction site on Kailash?
Bonari
Kailash
Fig. 3: Mount Kailash and Bonari
2. Bonari
Swami Pranavanand has mentioned that adjacent to the Kailash peak is situated on its western side a smaller snow-peak called Trijung, which is said to be the abode of Dorje-Phangmo (Ref. 45). This place is known as Bonari (Fig. 3).
After visiting the region and looking at the various photographs taken by the members of our Ashtapad research group, and the literature read by me next place came to my mind for probable site of Ashtapad Maha Tirth is Bonari, a small hillock adjacent to Mount Kailash. This matches with the description about Ashtapad Maha Tirth. There are no references found for Field Trip I & II to locate site for...
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