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). Get ticket from the automat first. From Hauptbahnhof take city train S11, S21 or S31, same platform, opposite track, to Dammtor station (rectangle in the map). 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 is close to the Venue and 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.

 

Ian A. Baker, PhD	Great Britain
Dr. Sergei Balalaev	Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia
Bruno Baumann	Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Austria
Dr. John Vincent Bellezza	University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
Ajitkumar Benadi	Jain Association International, Germany
Dr. Ram Prasad Bhatt	University of Hamburg, Germany
Dmitry Ermakov	Foundation for the Preservation of Yungdrung Bon, UK
Susan Griffith-Jones	Great Britain / India
Dr. Christoph Klein	Switzerland
Galina Kotovskaya	Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia
Niraj Kumar	Society for Asian Integration, India
Dr. Alex McKay	Australia
Prof. Pierre Mercier	Canada
Alexey Perchukov	Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia
Prof. Dr. Lothar Ratschbacher	Technische Universitaet Freiberg, Germany
Khenpo K. Tamphel	University of Vienna, Austria
Prof. Dr. Dorji Wangchuk	University of Hamburg, Germany
Dr. Wolfgang Woellmer	Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Germany

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

Saturday, March 21, 2020                   

09:00

Opening of the Conference and Welcoming Speeches

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

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

09:20	Geology and Geo-History of the Mt. Kailash Region Prof. Dr. Lothar Ratschbacher, Technische Universitaet Freiberg, Germany
09:40	History of Tibet and the Mt. Kailash Region Dr. Alex McKay, Australia
10:00	Pre-Buddhist Monuments and Artefacts in the Mt. Kailash Region Dr. John Vincent Bellezza, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
10:20	The Importance of Pilgrimage for Religious Practitioners Niraj Kumar, Society for Asian Integration, India
10:40	Depiction of Mount Kailāśa (Ti-se) in Tibetan Literature Prof. Dr. Dorji Wangchuk, University of Hamburg, Germany
11:00	Morning Break

                           

Session 2: Mt. Kailash in Scriptures and Legends

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

11:30	Hindu Scriptures and Legends of Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar Dr. Ram Prasad Bhatt, University of Hamburg, Germany
11:50	The Importance of Mt. Kailash in the Bon Religion Dmitry Ermakov, Foundation for the Preservation of Yungdrung Bon, UK
12:10	The Importance of Mt. Kailash in the Jain Religion Ajitkumar Benadi, Jain Association International, Germany
12:30	The Significance of Mt. Kailash in Buddhist Scriptures Dr. Alex McKay, Australia
12:50	The Magical Duel Between Milarepa and Naro Bönchung: Who Really Won? Dmitry Ermakov, Foundation for the Preservation of Yungdrung Bon, UK
13:10	Lunch Break

                                                               

   Session 3: The Parikrama (tib. Kora) of Mt. Kailash

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

14:40	Identification of Gang Tise as the Holy Mt. Kailash Dr. Alex McKay, Australia
15:00	Access of Mt. Kailash and Overview of the Koras Dr. Wolfgang Woellmer, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Germany
15:20	The Kora of Mt. Kailash Bruno Baumann, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Austria
15:40	Geometrical Features of the Relief in the Region of Mt. Kailash Dr. Sergei Balalaev, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia
16:00	The Kora of Lake Manasarovar and the Barkor Galina Kotovskaya, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia
16:20	Afternoon Break

                   

Session 4: The Stations of the Barkor

Chair: Dr. Alex McKay, Australia

16:50	The Sources of the Four Great Rivers: Sacral and Physical Geography Dr. Sergei Balalaev, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia
17:10	Tirthapuri and Gurugyam Bruno Baumann, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Austria
17:30	Khyunglung and the Garuda Valley Bruno Baumann, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Austria
17:50	Tsaparang and the Guge Kingdom Dr. Christoph Klein, Switzerland
18:10	From Piyang and Dungkar to Ruthok Dr. John Vincent Bellezza, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA

                       

18:30  End of the first Conference Day Program

                                             

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Session 5: Energetic Considerations

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

09:00	Tourism Development in Tibet in Recent Years Alexey Perchukov, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia
09:20	Interaction of the Four Religions in their Beliefs in the Context of Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar Prof. Pierre Mercier, Canada
09:40	Relief Geoglyphs in the Region of Mt. Kailash and the Great Lakes Dr. Sergei Balalaev, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia
10:00	Research of the Lake Gyuma Tso in the Region of Mt. Kailash Dr. Sergei Balalaev, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia
10:20	The Organic Pilgrimage, a Spiral of Consciousness as Described in The Tibetan Book of the Dead Susan Griffith-Jones, Great Britain / India
10:40	Morning Break

Session 6: Inner Kora Paths

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

11:10	The Inner Kora of Mt. Kailash     Bruno Baumann, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Austria
11:30	Archeological Findings on the Nandi Kora Dr. John Vincent Bellezza, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA
11:50	Other Inner Kora Paths Dr. Wolfgang Woellmer, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Germany
12:10	The Basis of the Four Faces of Mt. Kailash: a Sacral Landscape Galina Kotovskaya, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia
12:30	The Spiral Kora Dr. Wolfgang Woellmer, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Germany
12:50	Exploration of the Internal Mandala of Mt. Kailash        Alexey Perchukov, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Russia
13:10	Lunch Break

                                   

Session 7: Tantric Aspects of Mt. Kailash

Chair: Dr. Alex McKay, Australia

14:40	Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in the Hindu Tantra Ian A. Baker, PhD, Great Britain
15:00	The Chakrasamvara Mandala and the Faces of Mt. Kailash Dr. Wolfgang Woellmer, Phenomenon of Kailash Research Group, Germany
15:20	The 24 Sacred Pithas and the Body Mandala in the Chakrasamvara Tantra Ian A. Baker, PhD, Great Britain
15:40	Mt. Kailash in the Kalachakra Tantra Niraj Kumar, Society for Asian Integration, India
16:00	The Relocation of Holy Sites in Tibet and of the Pilgrimage Sites of Chakrasamvara’s Body, Speech and Mind in the Drikung Kagyu Tradition    Khenpo K. Tamphel, University of Vienna, Austria
16:20	Afternoon Break

                      

Session 8: Questions and Round Table

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

16:50	Auditorium: Questions and Answers
17:40	Round Table: Balalaev, Baumann, McKay, Woellmer
18:30	Conclusion of the Conference: Final words and Good-Bye

    

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.

Attendance fee until March 15, 2020:	150 Euro
Early registration until January 15, 2020:	120 Euro
Students with valid student card:	100 Euro
Ordained participants:	75 Euro
1 Day ticket at the Conference desk:	90 Euro

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
• 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  
• “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
• Prof. Pierre Mercier, Grand-Falls Windsor, Canada
• Gustav Prietsch-Stiftung, Hamburg, Germany
• Deutsche Tibethilfe e.V. , German Aid to Tibetans, Hamburg, Germany

Some companies and institutions supporting this conference will also display products related to the conference, literature, maps, and tours to Mt. Kailash. Please use the coffee/tea breaks to visit the stands of these companies and get information about their products. The following companies and institutions will be present in rooms next to the Anna-Siemsen-Lecture Hall:

• 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