5th International Conference on the Phenomenon of the Holy Mt. Kailash

Mt. Kailash in the far west of Tibet is one of the holiest mountains in the world, revered by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Bönpo. During the last two decades, also Westerners set out for this remote region. Improved infrastructure and more liberal issuing of permits let their number and very much that of Indian pilgrims increase on a large scale. This requires new rules and regulations to preserve the landscape of Mt. Kailash and neighbouring sites.

A number of travel guides cover the topic of Mt. Kailash travels. However, many aspects of this exceptional geographical region are outlined just marginally in many of them. These include Lake Manasarovar, Lake Raksas Tal, Tirthapuri and the historical Guge Kingdom, as well as the sources of the four big rivers Brahmaputra, Karnali (headstream of the Ganges), Sutlej and Indus. Also the religious backgrounds, legends and iconographic properties are not dealt with in detail in these guides.

Besides the traditional rules for Tibetan and Indian pil­grims to Mt. Kailash, during recent years new obser­vations and explorations were made and new regula­tions put into force. The aim of this conference is to compile both traditional and new aspects of the pheno­menon of Mt. Kailash and the surroun­­­ding area of pil­grimage sites, their interpre­ta­tion and comparison with old scriptures and tantric vision. Data on Mt. Kailash and the sacred lakes will be introduced and systemized. The knowledge of the sacred regions of Tibet will be shared, the cooperation in further scientific investigation discussed.

Conference Language:    English

Venue: University of Hamburg, Anna-Siemsen-Lecture Hall

Von Melle-Park 8, 20146 Hamburg, Germany

How to reach the Venue         

From Hamburg Airport take city train S1 to Hauptbahnhof (main station) or city train S21 directly to the Dammtor station. Get ticket from the automat first, Euro 3,40.

If you arrive at Hauptbahnhof, take city train S11, S21 or S31, track 2 (the opposite track, same platform, if you arrive from the airport) to Dammtor station (bottom line in the map). If you start from Hauptbahnhof, the ticket is Euro 1,70, just one stop. . In the Dammtor station there is the Reisebank, if money exchange is needed. The University of Hamburg is close to Dammtor. Exit the Dammtor station on the northeast side.

Reach the Anna-Siemsen-Lecture Hall by a 10-12 min walk on Rothen­baum­chaussee, Schlueterstrasse and Campus. Or take Bus #4, direction Eidelstedter Platz or Wildacker, or Bus #5, di­rection Burgwedel or Lokstedt Nedderfeld. Get ticket from the automat first. Exit at 2^nd stop Grindelhof. From the bus line, turn right for 90 m, then right again. After another 90 m enter the Campus. The Anna-Siemsen-Lecture Hall entrance is straight ahead after 90 m on the left side of the little pond.

If you arrive by car, take notice that there are only few parking places close to the university. You should better leave your car at your hotel.

For the Lunch Break, the Mensa of the University offers a lunch menu and a vegetarian lunch menu, which you can select and order, together with your drink for the breaks, on the second page of the application form.

The weather in Hamburg in March may be rainy, tempera­tures around 10°C.
Topical forecast: www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Hamburg

Download the Conference Flyer(PDF) or the Conference Poster(PDF) here.

A conference program PDF file is available here for download. (Or here without pictures)

Saturday, March 27, 2021                  

Session 1: History and Geography of the Mt. Kailash Region

Chair: Dr. Wolfgang Woellmer, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Germany

Session 2: Mt. Kailash in Scriptures and Legends

Chair: Dr. Sergei Balalaev, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia

   Session 3: Tourist and medical considerations

   Chair: Dr. Alex McKay, Australia

Session 4: The Parikrama (tib. Kora) of Mt. Kailash

Chair: Dr. Wolfgang Woellmer, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Germany

Sunday, March 28, 2021

Session 5: The Stations of the Barkor

Chair: Prof. Dr. Dorji Wangchuk, University of Hamburg, Germany

Session 6: Inner Kora Paths

Chair: Dr. Sergei Balalaev, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia

Session 7: Tantric Aspects of Mt. Kailash

Chair: Dr. Alex McKay, Australia

Session 8: Questions and Round Table

Chair: Prof. Dr. Dorji Wangchuk, University of Hamburg, Germany

Registration of participation: Please register as early as possible to support the organization, download the application-form(PDF) with this link.

Please order the desired lunch and coffee/tea break service on the 2^nd page of the application form. On the 3^rd page you’ll find the Declaration of Consent, according to the EU Directive for Protection of Data Privacy. Please sign this at the end of the 4^th page.

Contact: Send a scan of all four pages of the filled application form including your lunch/tea/coffee order and the signed Declaration of Consent as e-mail attachment to

kailash-conference.aai"AT"uni-hamburg.de .       

If you enroll as student or ordained person, please enclose a scan of your student card/of your ordination pass.

In order to help with the organization, please pay the total due calculated from the application form at the same time, either as SEPA bank transfer or from your credit card (only VISA card and Master card are accepted). Please understand that the amounts for credit card payment are a little higher, to make sure that the full due is booked on the conference bank account. Indicate the reason for payment with Invoice No. 100047408 and your name.

When your application form is received and your attendance fee is booked on the conference bank account, you will get an acknowledgement of your registration and a confirmation of the payment, which may also serve as a conference invitation, in case you need this for your visa application.

Hotel: Please arrange your hotel as needed yourself under www.hamburg-tourism.de or on a list of hotels close to the University of Hamburg: > Hotels nearby

In the Dammtor station there is the Reisebank, if money exchange is needed.

Financial Support: The organization of an international conference needs funds and donations for a multitude of expenses, like staff, technical equipment, insurance and other fees and so on. If you are willing to support the 5^th International Conference on the Phenomenon of the Holy Mt. Kailash, your donation is greatly appreciated. Please transfer your donation separately from the attendance fee and indicate the reason for payment with Invoice No. 100047602, your name and “Donation for the International Kailash Conference”. For donations up to 200 Euro, the transfer voucher is sufficient for your tax declaration. For higher donations you will receive a contribution receipt, when your donation is booked on the conference bank account.

Previous Conferences

 1st International Conference on the Phenomenon of the Holy Mt. Kailash “The Phenomenon of Kailas and its Role in Human Evolution”, Moscow, Russia, April 12-13, 2014, see http://en.icr.su/work/conferencies/kailas-2014/index.php

2nd International Conference on the Phenomenon of the Holy Mt. Kailash “The Phenomenon of Kailas and its Role in the Evolution of Human Development”, Moscow, Russia, March 21-22, 2015, http://en.icr.su/work/conferencies/kailas-2015/index.php

3rd International Conference on the Phenomenon of the Holy Mt. Kailash “Assembly of Kailas – The Way of the Spiral of Unity”, Varna, Bulgaria, March 18-20, 2016, see http://www.mt-kailash.ru/english-version/press-release-from-01-april-2016-on-the-third-international-conference-dedicated-to-mount-kailash-assembly-on-kailash-path-along-the-spiral-of-unity.html

4th International Conference on the Phenomenon of the Holy Mt. Kailash “Ancient Knowledge of Kailas”, Darchen, Tibet, May 9, 2017, see http://www.mt-kailash.ru/events/conference/2017-forum-ancient-knowledge-of-kailash-2.html     

 Selected Literature

• Sergei Balalaev: „The Call of Kailash – Photo Album“, Moscow Publishing House Kodeks, 2010
• Sergei Balalaev: “Studies in the Mt. Kailash Region, Tibet. The Geographical and Traditional Sources of the Indus River”. The Himalayan Journal, Mumbai. India, Vol. 74, 2019
• Bruno Baumann: “Kailash, Tibets heiliger Berg” (“Kailash – Tibet’s Holy Mountain”). Piper Verlag, Muenchen, 2002, (in German)
• Bruno Baumann: „Der Silberpalast des Garuda“ („The Silver Palace of the Garuda“), Piper Verlag, Muenchen, 2006, (in German)
• Bruno Baumann: „Der Kristallspiegel – Pilgerreise zum heiligen Berg Kailash“ (“The Crystal Mirror – Pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain Kailash”), Nymphenburger Verlag,  Muenchen, 2006, (in German)
• John Vincent Bellezza: “Zhang Zhung: Foundations of Civilization in Tibet. A Historical and Ethnoarchaeological Study of the Monuments, Rock Art, Texts and Oral Tradition of the Ancient Tibetan Upland. Philosophisch-Historische Klasse Denkschriften, Vol. 368. Wien: Verlag der Oesterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008
• John Vincent Bellezza: „KM-III Exploration Report, a Reconnaissance Mission to Locate the Sri Ashtapad Temple”. University of Virginia, 2009
• Katrin Burri: „Umweltschutz in der Kailashregion“, 2005. (“Environmental protection in the region of Mt. Kailash”) www.kailashprojekte.ch/downloads/UmweltschutzKailashregion.pdf
• Keith Dowman: „The Sacred Life of Tibet”. Harper Collins Publishers Ltd. 1997
• Lama Anagorika Govinda: “The Way of the White Clouds”. Hutchinson & Co. Ltd., London, 1966
• Toni Huber: “The Holy Land Reborn”. The University of Chicago Press, 2008
• Alex McKay: „Kailas Histories – Renunciate Traditions and the Construction of Himalayan Sacred Geography”. Brill’s Tibetan Studies Library, Leiden, 2015
• Swami Pranavananda: “Kailash – Manasarovar”, 2nd edition, Surya Print Process, New Delhi, 1983
• Wolfgang Woellmer: “The Inner and Outer Paths of Mt. Kailash”, Vajra Books, Nepal, 2014 available at shop"AT"buecher-thoene.de
• Wolfgang Woellmer & Alexey Perchukov: “The Spiral Kora of Mt. Kailash”, The Himalayan Journal, Mumbai, India, Vol. 72, 2017
• Wolfgang Woellmer & Sergei Balalaev: “Ancient Knowledge and Modern Explorations of the Phenomenon of the Holy Mt. Kailash”, The Himalayan Journal, Mumbai. India, Vol. 74, 2019  
• Wolfgang Woellmer & Sergei Balalaev: “Das Phaenomen des heiligen Bergs Kailash in alter Wissenstradition und neuer Erkundung”. Tibet und Buddhismus Nr. 121, Tibetisches Zentrum, Hamburg, Germany, 2019 (in German)
• “Tibet 1:1 500 000, world mapping project Tibet”, Reise-Know-How-Verlag Peter Rump, Bielefeld, Germany
• “Kailash-Trekking-Map 1:50 000” and “Kailash Panorama Map“, Gecko Maps Arne Rohweder, Zurich-Egg, Switzerland

The 5th International Conference on the Phenomenon of the Holy Mt. Kailash is supported by these sponsors

• Numata Center for Buddhist Studies, University of Hamburg, Germany
• Milarepa Retreat Centre “Drigung Kagyu Gangri Chagchen Dargye Ling“, Schneverdingen, Germany
• Tibetisches Zentrum e.V., Hamburg, Germany
• Gustav Prietsch-Stiftung, Hamburg, Germany
• Deutsche Tibethilfe e.V. , German Aid to Tibetans, Hamburg, Germany

Some institutions supporting this conference will also display their programs related to Mt. Kailash and Tibet. Please use the coffee/tea breaks to visit the stands of these institutions and get information about their programs. The following institutions will be present in rooms next to the venue:

• Milarepa Retreat Centre “Drigung Kagyu Gangri Chagchen Dargye Ling“, Schneverdingen, Germany
• Tibetisches Zentrum e.V., Hamburg, Germany
• Deutsche Tibethilfe e.V. , German Aid to Tibetans, Hamburg, Germany
• Stiftung Sowa Rigpa – Die buddhistische Wissenschaft vom Heilen (the Buddhist Science of Healing), Boppard, Germany