There are some holy mountains in India on which the gods are believed to reside. People worship these mountains and consider them as God. There are also some special beliefs associated with each of these mountains. Know about these holy mountains of India and the beliefs related to them
Himalaya
Himalaya is one of the most sacred mountains of India. There are also many religious places in the ranges of the Himalayas. Among these Haridwar, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gomukh, Dev Prayag, Rishikesh, Kailash Mansarovar, and Amarnath are prominent. It is also mentioned in the Indian scripture Gita. According to the Mahabharata, the Pandavas crossed this mountain and went to heaven. In Puranas, it has been called the father of Parvatiji.
According to Puranas, Ganga, and Parvati are his two daughters, and Mainak, Saptashringa, etc. are a hundred sons. Geographically, the Himalayas are a mountain system that separates the Indian subcontinent from Central Asia and Tibet. This mountain system is mainly composed of three parallel ranges – the Great Himalayas, the Central Himalayas, and the Shivaliks, which are spread over a length of about 2500 km in the shape of an arc from west to east.
The Himalayan Mountains spread across the borders of five countries. These countries are- Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. Bandarpunch is the name of a peak of the Himalayan Mountains. This peak is located in Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. Its height is 20,731 feet. It is also called Sumeru.
Vindhyachal Mountains
It is one of the holy mountains of India. The Vindhyachal mountain range is a series of ancient circular mountains in the west-central part of India, which divides the India subdivision into northern India and southern India. The western end of this range is in Gujarat, in the east near the borders of present-day Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. This chain passes through the middle of India from east and north till the river Ganges in Mirzapur.
According to the Puranas, this mountain had obstructed the path of Suryadev due to jealousy of Sumeru and had risen to the sky, which was brought down by sage Agastya. It has been the abode of many great sages like Sharbhang, Agastya, etc. Like Himachal, it also finds detailed mention in scriptures and Puranas.
Mandarachal
According to Hindu beliefs, the Gods made Mandarachal (Mandar mountain) a churn in the churning of the ocean. Standing for centuries, the Mandar mountain is still the center of people’s faith. It is also called Mandarachal or Mandar Parvat. This mountain is situated in Bounsi of Banka district. Which is located in the eastern part of the state of Bihar. It is a popular belief that Lord Vishnu always resides on the Mandar mountain. It is believed that this is the same mountain, whose churning was made by the gods and demons to churn the ocean.
A huge fair is also held here on the occasion of Makar-Sankranti, which lasts for about fifteen days. People’s beliefs are related to Mandar Mountain in many ways. For Hindus, this mountain is the sacred shelter of Lord Vishnu, while those who believe in Jainism believe it to be associated with the famous Tirthankar Lord Vasupujya.
Govardhan mountain
Govardhan is a holy mountain in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh. This is the Leelasthali of Lord Krishna. It was here that Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan mountain on his index finger to save the Brajvasis from the wrath of Indra in Dwapar Yuga. Govardhan Mountain is also known as Girirajji by the devotees. Devotees from far and wide come here to circumambulate the Govardhan mountain. This parikrama is about 21 km.
Here people do Dandauti Parikrama. Dandauti Parikrama is done in such a way that one lies down on the ground by spreading the hands in front and as far as the hands are spread, draws a line and then lies down in front of it. Similarly, while lying down or prostrating, they do circumambulation, which is completed in a week to two weeks. Where the circumambulation begins, there is also a famous temple called Danghati Temple.
Kailash mountain
Mount Kailash is a mountain range located in Tibet. To its west and south are Mansarovar and Rakshatal lakes. Many important rivers originate from here – Brahmaputra, Indus, Sutlej, etc. This mountain is considered very sacred in Hinduism. This mountain is also called Ganparvat and Rajatgiri. According to the Puranas, many gods, demons, and sages have done penance on this mountain. It is a legend that Adi Shankaracharya left his body around this mountain. This mountain has special importance in Jainism too. They call Kailash as Ashtapada. It is said that the first Tirthankar Rishabhdev attained Nirvana here. It has been called the heaven on earth. The Kailash range extends from Kashmir to Bhutan and between Lha Chu and Zhong Chu is Mount Kailash whose northern peak is named Kailash. The shape of this shikhara is like a great Shivling.
Chamunda hill
Chamunda Hill is a major tourist destination in Mysore. It is about 13 km south of Mysore. On top of this hill is the Chamundeshwari Temple, dedicated to Goddess Durga. This temple symbolizes the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. The idol of the Goddess installed in the main sanctum sanctorum of the temple is made of pure gold. This temple was built in the 12th century. The building of the temple is seven-storeyed, and its height is 40 m. Is. There is also a small temple dedicated to Mahabaleshwar behind the main temple which is more than 1000 years old. A panoramic view of Mysore is visible from the top of the mountain. A huge statue of Mahishasura is kept near the temple.
Gabbar mountain
Gabbar Parbat is a small hillock located in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat, India. This famous pilgrimage is just 5 km away from Ambaji, on the border of Gujarat and Rajasthan. It is from here that the holy Vedic river Saraswati also originates in the southwest direction from Aravali mountain on Arasur mountain. It is counted as one of the ancient mythological 51 Shaktipeeths. According to the Puranas, the heart of the dead body of Sati had fallen here. Its description is also found in Tantra Chudamani. To reach the temple one has to climb 999 steps on the hill. The experience of watching the sunset from the top of the hill is also great.
Parasnath hill
Parasnath Hill is in Bokaro city of Jharkhand state. There are many tourist places in Bokaro, of which Parasnath Hill is also one of them. It is the highest hill in the state of Jharkhand. The height of this hill located in Giridih is about 4,440 feet. This whole hill is surrounded by forest. The most important religious place of Jainism is on this mountain.
The footprints of 20 Tirthankaras of Jainism are inscribed on the top of the mountain. This hill is called Sammed Shikhar. The footprints of Tirthankaras are called Tonk. It is believed that the 20th to 24th Jain Tirthankaras attained Nirvana here. There are temples of both Shvetambara and Digambara sects of Jainism here. This place is also famous by the name of Madhuban.
Mount Abu
Mount Abu is the only hill town in Rajasthan. Situated on the highest peak of the Nilgiri Hills of the Sirohi district, the geographical location and environment of Mount Abu is very different from other cities of Rajasthan. It is at an altitude of 1220 meters above sea level. Mount Abu is a major pilgrimage center for Hinduism and Jainism. The historical temples and natural beauty here attract tourists. Mount Abu has been the abode of saints since ancient times. According to mythology, thirty-three crore gods and goddesses of the Hindu religion visit this mountain. Lord Mahavira, the twenty-fourth Tirthankara of Jainism, also visited here. Since then Mount Abu has remained a sacred and revered pilgrimage site for Jain followers.
