The Chinese authorities have given permission to a Spanish expedition to make the second ascent of Tibet´s Holy mountain Mount Kailash. Mount Kailash is sacred to the world´s Hindus and Buddhists, the only other known ascent was by Milarepa, 11th century Tibetan poet who was carried to the summit by the rays of the morning sun.It is however, not the authenticity of the first claimed ascent that has ignited a storm of controversy. The mountain is one of the world´s most sacred holy places. Hindu belief holds the 6,714m peak as the home of the God Shiva, and the earthly manifestation of Mount Sumeru, the cosmic mountain representing the centre of the universe.It is likely that this move by the Chinese authorities has been calculated to crush Tibetan nationalism, and stamp Chinese authority literally onto the top of Tibet´s most sacred place. Mountaineers around the world have poured scorn on the Spanish for contemplating climbing the sacred mountain, Reinhold Messner, who had previously walked around the mountain, and refused a Chinese offer to permit him to summit commented “If we conquer this mountain, then we conquer something in other people´s souls. I would suggest they go and climb something a little harder. Kailash is not so high and not so hard.”, Doug Scott, current President of the Alpine Club added: “How will they feel later in life about diminishing this mountain? Once that sanctity is destroyed, it will be gone forever. They´re playing into the hands of the Chinese”.Photo from http://c-level.com/milarepa/
![[VIDEO] John Bachar free solo in Joshua Tree](https://www.climbing.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/youtube_03udLvtNR6Y-150x150.jpg)
