Mount Everest
Known as the “roof of the world”, Mount Everest is not only a destination for climbers around the world but also holds countless mysteries. In Nepal, Mount Everest is called Sagarmatha, which roughly translates to “forehead of the sky”.
Meanwhile, in Tibetan, this mountain peak is called Chomolangma, meaning “mother of the universe”.
In China, Everest is transliterated from Tibetan as Chau Muc Lang Ma Phong or translated as Thanh Mau Phong with the meaning of the holy mother’s peak.
Here is the Rongbuk Monastery. According to Nepalese beliefs, this highest monastery in the world contains the supreme energy of the gods. Therefore, they believe that Mount Everest is the place where the supreme energy of the gods is kept.
Mount Everest is also famous for its mysterious, unsolved stories. One of these is the legend of the Yeti.
Nepalese and Tibetans often tell each other about a giant monster that lives in the snowy mountains all year round. The Yeti monster originated from Mount Everest. The fact that locals often see giant footprints in the snow further strengthens this belief.
Not only that, in 1951, the Everest expedition of British climber Eric Shipton saw giant footprints at an altitude of 6,000m. In 2009, American filmmaker Josh Gates also discovered similar traces believed to be those of the Yeti.
Hair samples taken by Josh Gates from a footprint measuring 33cm long and 25cm wide were taken for study. After testing, scientists determined that this sample contained a completely unknown DNA sequence.
Mauna Kea Mountain
Hawaii Island is home to five major volcanoes: Mauna Kea, Kohala, Mauna Loa, Hualalai and Kilauea. Mauna Kea is the highest mountain in Hawaii and the entire Pacific Ocean.
All five mountains are considered sacred by the locals. However, Mauna Kea is the most revered. According to Hawaiian mythology, Mauna Kea was the first landform formed by the Earth and the sky.
According to ancient legends, Mauna Kea forms the basis of life. Therefore, this sacred mountain is considered an important religious symbol for the Native Hawaiians. For them, Mauna Kea is also the “gateway to heaven”.
Mount Shasta
Mount Shasta is also considered one of the world’s sacred mountains. This mountain is located at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California, USA.
One of the most talked about evidences of the sacredness of the mountain is the mysterious mist that helped prevent a terrible forest fire in 1931. Old documents recorded that in 1931, a fierce forest fire swept through Mount Shasta.
Just when it seemed like the entire mountain would be engulfed in flames, a mysterious mist suddenly appeared. This thick mist formed a boundary, preventing the fire from spreading further, burning everything it passed through.
In addition, scientists and archaeologists believe that the mountain has been inhabited by several North American indigenous tribes for over 9,000 years. Some tribes believe that Mount Shasta is the center of creation.
Native Americans living in this area today still perform rituals to worship Mount Shasta to draw on the spiritual power emitted by the sacred mountain.
In their traditional stories, the mountain is home to many spirits and guardians. One of these is the spirit of the chief Skell, who is said to have fallen from the sky to the top of the mountain. The people also believe that a creature called the matah kagmi lives on the mountain and protects the surrounding forests.
In 1971, a British nun named Houn Jiyu Kennett built a Buddhist monastery here. The monastery later became a meditation site for devotees.
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai is located on the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. This is the location believed to be Mount Sinai in the Bible. According to the Old Testament, the Bible, and the Qur’an, this mountain is where Moses, the religious leader, received the Ten Commandments.
Just north of the mountain is the 6th-century monastery of St. Catherine. The monastery was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1979.
Today, the St. Catherine Monastery is one of the oldest surviving monasteries in the world and is a sacred site for three major religions: Catholicism, Islam and Judaism.
On Mount Sinai there is now a mosque and a Greek Orthodox church built in 1934. There is also the “Cave of Moses”, the site where Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments.
Uluru Mountain
Uluru is a giant sandstone rock with strange color changes and is considered the most sacred rock in Australia.
Research shows that Aboriginal Australians have lived in the area around Uluru for nearly 60,000 years, making them one of the oldest surviving civilisations in the world.
The Anangu people of this region believe that the gods who created the world were their ancestors. And, Uluru is their ancestors’ masterpiece on this Earth.
Uluru is more than just a majestic sandstone formation to the Anangu people. It is the site of their ancestors and the origin of the Creator.
Therefore, this place seems to be a sacred and inviolable place.
Mount Kailash
Mount Kailash is the first of the four holy mountains in Tibet, China. In particular, this is also the common holy mountain of four religions: Bon (also known as Bon religion, the indigenous religion of the Tibetan people), Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.
Religions that consider Kailash a sacred mountain believe that their religious deities reside on this mountain. They even call Kailash the king of sacred mountains.
Mount Olympus
At 2,918m, Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece. Olympus is also listed as one of the most famous sacred mountains in the world.
Mount Olympus is considered the abode of the gods, a symbol of the power and belief in the gods of the Greek people in particular and those who are passionate about Greek mythology in general.
In Greek mythology, Mount Olympus is home to the 12 Olympians – the main gods in the Greek Pantheon.
In Greek mythology, it is also said that after the goddess Gaia (mother earth goddess) gave birth to the Titans, they had to use the mountains of Greece as their thrones because they were so large. Cronus – the youngest and most powerful Titan sat on Mount Olympus.
According to Greek mythology, the 12 gods named on Mount Olympus include: Zeus, Hera (goddess of marriage and family), Poseidon (goddess of the sea), Demeter (goddess of fertility), Athena (goddess of wisdom), Hestia (goddess of fire and family), Apollo (god of light), Artemis (goddess of hunting), Ares (god of war), Aphrodite (goddess of love), Hephaestus (god of blacksmiths) and Hermes (messenger to the gods).
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