Editing Himalayas (section)

==Religions==
{{multiple image |align=right |direction=vertical
 |image1=Taktshang.jpg |caption1=The [[Paro Taktsang|Taktsang]] Monastery, [[Bhutan]], also known as the "Tiger's Nest"
 |image2=Harmukh Mountain.jpg|caption2= [[Harmukh]] is a sacred mountain for Hindus located in the Himalayas north of [[Kashmir Valley]].
}}
There are many cultural and mythological aspects associated with the Himalayas. In [[Jainism]], Mount Ashtapada of the Himalayan mountain range is a sacred place where the first Jain ''[[tirthankara]]'', [[Rishabhanatha]], attained ''[[moksha]]''. It is believed that after Rishabhanatha attained ''[[nirvana]]'', his son, [[Bharata (Jainism)|Bharata]], had constructed three stupas and twenty four shrines of the 24 [[Tirthankaras|''tirthankara''s]] with their idols studded with precious stones over there and named it ''Sinhnishdha''.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y4aVRLGhf-8C&q=mount+Kailash+jainism&pg=RA1-PA273 | title=Faith & Philosophy of Jainism| isbn=978-81-7835-723-2| last1=Jain| first1=Arun Kumar| year=2009| publisher=Gyan Publishing House}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-21/spiritual-destinations/29739255_1_manasarovar-water-moon |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707034645/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-21/spiritual-destinations/29739255_1_manasarovar-water-moon |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 July 2012 |title=To heaven and back  |date=11 January 2012 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=2 March 2012}}</ref> For the Hindus, the Himalayas are personified as [[Himavat]], the king of all mountains and the father of the goddess [[Parvati]].<ref name=":1" /> The Himalayas are also considered to be the father of the goddess [[Ganga (goddess)|Ganga]] (the personification of river Ganges).<ref>{{cite book|title=Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend|isbn=978-0-500-51088-9|first=Anna|last=Dallapiccola|year=2002|publisher=National Geographic Books |url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofhind0000dall}}</ref> Two of the most sacred places of pilgrimage for the Hindus are the temple complex in [[Pashupatinath Temple|Pashupatinath]] and [[Muktinath]], also known as Shaligrama because of the presence of the sacred black rocks called [[shaligram]]s.<ref name="JEE" />

The [[Buddhists]] also lay a great deal of importance on the Himalayas. Paro Taktsang is the holy place where [[Buddhism]] started in [[Bhutan]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kimberly-cantor/paro-bhutan-the-tigers-ne_b_10982104.html|title=Paro, Bhutan: The Tiger's Nest|last=Cantor|first=Kimberly|date=14 July 2016|website=Huffington Post|language=en-US|access-date=9 June 2018}}</ref> The Muktinath is also a place of pilgrimage for the Tibetan Buddhists. They believe that the trees in the poplar grove came from the walking sticks of eighty-four ancient Indian Buddhist magicians or ''mahasiddhas''. They consider the saligrams to be representatives of the Tibetan serpent deity known as Gawo Jagpa.<ref name=":4">{{cite book|last1=Zurick|first1=David|last2=Julsun|first2=Pacheco|last3=Basanta|first3=Raj Shrestha|last4=Birendra|first4=Bajracharya|title=Illustrated Atlas of the Himalaya|location=Lexington|publisher=U of Kentucky|year=2006}}</ref> The Himalayan people's diversity shows in many different ways. It shows through their architecture, their languages, and dialects, their beliefs and rituals, as well as their clothing.<ref name=":4" /> The shapes and materials of the people's homes reflect their practical needs and beliefs. Another example of the diversity amongst the Himalayan peoples is that handwoven textiles display colors and patterns unique to their ethnic backgrounds. Finally, some people place great importance on jewelry. The Rai and Limbu women wear big gold earrings and nose rings to show their wealth through their jewelry.<ref name=":4" /> Several places in the Himalayas are of religious significance in, [[Buddhism]], [[Jainism]], [[Sikhism]], [[Islam]] and [[Hinduism]]. A notable example of a religious site is [[Paro Taktsang]], where [[Padmasambhava]] is said to have founded [[Buddhism]] in [[Bhutan]].<ref name="Pommaret">{{cite book|author=Pommaret, Francoise|title=Bhutan Himalayan Mountains Kingdom|edition=5th|publisher=Odyssey Books and Guides|year=2006|pages=136–137|isbn=978-962-217-810-6}}</ref>

A number of [[Vajrayana|Vajrayana Buddhist]] sites are situated in the Himalayas, in [[Tibet]], [[Bhutan]], and in the Indian regions of [[Ladakh]], Sikkim, [[Arunachal Pradesh]], [[Spiti Valley|Spiti]], and [[Darjeeling]]. There were over 6,000 [[List of Tibetan monasteries|monasteries]] in Tibet, including the residence of the [[Dalai Lama]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7307495.stm|title=Tibetan monks: A controlled life|work=BBC News|date=20 March 2008}}</ref> [[Bhutan]], [[Sikkim]], and [[Ladakh]] are also dotted with numerous monasteries.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mehra |first=P. L. |date=1960 |title=Lacunae in the Study of the History of Bhutan and Sikkim |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44137539 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=23 |pages=190–201 |jstor=44137539 |issn=2249-1937}}</ref>