Names & Legend
According to Hindu tradition, Sati’s right hand fell at the Manasa Shakti Peeth. There have been different opinions about exactly which part fell here, and after much discussion scholars generally agree that it was the right palm of the Goddess.
The story behind all the Shakti Peeths is the same: Sati gave up her life at the yagna of her father Daksha after he insulted Lord Shiva. Shiva carried her body in grief, dancing the Tandava, until Lord Vishnu divided it with his Sudarshan Chakra. The place where her hand fell, beside the holiest lake on earth, became one of the most sacred seats of the Mother.
Location
The Shakti Peeth is in Tibet, on the shore of Lake Mansarovar (Manasarovar), one of the purest and most sacred bodies of water in the world. The lake lies at about 4,590 metres, at the foot of Mount Kailash, the heavenly abode of Lord Shiva. Its name means “the lake of the mind”, because it is said to have been created by Lord Brahma from his mind.
The Goddess & Bhairava
The Goddess is worshipped here as Dakshayani, “the daughter of Daksha” – a name that recalls Sati herself. Lord Shiva as Bhairava is called Amar, “the immortal”. It is believed that this is one of the purest spiritual places on earth, where sincere prayers are always answered and every wish is fulfilled.
There is no large temple at the lake: the vast blue waters, the snow peaks and Mount Kailash itself are the shrine, and pilgrims offer their prayers on the shore.
The Sacred Lake
For Hindus, a bath in Mansarovar and a sip of its water are believed to wash away the sins of many lifetimes. Buddhists, Jains and followers of the Bon religion also hold the lake sacred. Pilgrims walk or drive around the lake (a circuit of about 90 km), and many then perform the Kailash Kora, the 52-km walk around Mount Kailash. Several Buddhist monasteries, such as Chiu Gompa, stand on the hills around the lake.
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
The pilgrimage season is from about June to September, when the roads and passes are open. Indian pilgrims can travel through the official Kailash Mansarovar Yatra organised by the Government of India via the Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) or Nathu La (Sikkim), or through private tours via Nepal. A Chinese permit is required, and because of the extreme altitude, pilgrims must pass a medical check-up and acclimatise carefully. It is a demanding journey, but those who complete it describe it as the experience of a lifetime.