Australians Missing in Nepal Disaster Were Pilgrims to Sacred Mountain

The majority of Australians unaccounted for following a devastating flash flood in the Himalayas were pilgrims en route to Mount Kailash, a mountain of profound spiritual importance.

Of the 38 Australians reported missing, at least 32 were on organized tours to visit the remote peak, located on the border of Nepal and Tibet. The catastrophic wave of water, mud, and rocks that struck the region also destroyed a major highway used by thousands of international visitors annually.

Mount Kailash holds deep significance across multiple faiths, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and the Tibetan Bon tradition. It is revered as the center of the world in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology, the home of Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati, and a seat of spiritual power for the Bon tradition.

Pilgrims typically travel to the mountain not to climb it, but to complete a roughly 53-kilometer circuit around its base. This circumambulation, believed to cleanse sins, can take about three days. Hindus and Buddhists traditionally walk clockwise, while Bon followers move counterclockwise. Some Hindu pilgrims also perform ritual bathing in the nearby sacred Lake Manasarovar.

The disaster has claimed numerous lives, with hundreds confirmed dead and many more missing. Among the missing foreigners, a significant number are Hindu pilgrims from India heading to Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. A popular Indian guru mentioned that 11 Australians were on trips he organized.

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Australians on pilgrimage