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Adam's
Peak
Reached your peak? Every year thousands of pilgrims and
priests from the world over toil up a 2,243m sacred mountain
-some on crutches- for a midnight torch-lit ascent to venerate
a footprint left by Buddha. Muslims insist Adam served time
on one foot here for bad behavior; Portuguese missionaries
claimed it the mark of St Thomas. For Hindus it belongs
to Siva. Whoever it was had massive feet - the imprint is
1 meter long. So the legend about the eunuch emmissary of
the Queen of Sheba might yet hold water!
Herman Hesse had two trancendental experiences here at Siri
Pade. For most weary penitents it‘s enough to arrive
in one piece. En route, some stop at a point where Buddha
paused to darn his robe and fling a threaded needle into
a bush. The season between January and April reveal an atmospheric
phenomenan - the Shadow of the Peak - which leave all who
view sunrise from the summit spellbound.
The even more fantastic Spectre of the Brocken occurs out
of the pilgrims season and is something to behold!
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