ABSTRACT
In Hindu tradition and belief system, Himalayas are not only a magnificent mountain range but also sacred abode of gods. In various texts, the range itself is considered as the manifestation of the divine and often referred to as devatma or God-souled. The Himalayan range as a whole is sacred because it is in the north, which for Hindus is the direction of wisdom and spiritual rebirth. The Himalayas are a diverse region encompassing many diverse practices and beliefs. From the perspective of Hindus from the plains, the Himalayan region symbolizes the ultimate ascetic experience of the renunciant Śiva, the quintessential yogin, residing in the Himalayas with his wife Pārvatī. Himalaya is considered as living and breathing entity in both Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. A deity in itself it is deemed capable of feeling and expressing the feeling of happiness and displeasure in multiple manners. The Himalayan peaks are believed to be the manifestation of various deities.
The chapter describes mythological significance of a few Himalayan peaks on Indian side from esoteric and exoteric perspective. The author also summarizes three unparalleled quality of the Himalaya. Firstly, there is solitude; the environment is pristine and spiritually vibrant. Secondly, there is eternal silence, eternal concentration and light of energy Shakti flowing here. Thirdly, there is the subtle astral realm superimposed on the gross physical dimension. Almost all avatars, siddhas, mahayogis who have actually achieved any height in spirituality have talked about it. There is this physical expanse of mountains in the Himalaya which can be seen through eyes and felt ordinarily, which is the visible Himalaya. But there is another invisible Himalaya, Maha-Himalaya, above this visible Himalaya.
