26 Abode of Gods-
khand" and 'Manaskhand' which describe the geographical
features, history and passage of civilisation in this part of the*
country. In fact, Ved Vyasa has named almost each and every
peak, river and valley with appalling accuracy9 giving it an aura
of religious sanctity. Buddhist literature also makes numerous-
references about the high peaks and passes which Buddhist
missionaries often frequented during their extensive travels.
Buddhaghosa, the famed Buddhist writer mentions that the-
Anottatta is situated in the vicinity of Kalashuti and other
Himalayan peaks out of which flow four rivers viz. Simka-
mukha—the lion or east face, Asva Mukha—the horse or
west face, the Hathimukha—the elephant or south face and
Usvamukha—the bull or north face.
Truely, Sanskrit literature describes Himalayas as the home-
of Gods and Goddesses.
The geography
Dr. D. N. Wadia has described the geography of Himalayas
in the*e words : "The rise of the Himalayas from the floor of the
ancient mediterranean sea is an epic of the geological history
of Asia. This evolution was not accomplished in a single"
moment but the uplift was secular and periodic in at least'
three stages, beginning with the Eocene period of the tertiary
.era."N0w it Is a well known fact that the Himalayas gradually
rose high and they are not continuous chain or range of
mountains, instead a series of more or less parallel or conver-
ging ranges intersected - by enormous valleys and extensive-
plateaus. A mountain range is fixed by the continuity and direc-
tion. No great physical boundary could be more marked
than the base of the mountains between the Jhelam on the
west and the Brahmaputra on the east, a distance of 1500'
miles.. Throughout its length, the Himalayas rise from alluvial
plains. The chain of mountains in the north that forms our
boundary with Tibet-China is in reality the southern face of
the mountains, below which lie the plains of India. The loft-
iest summits are normally found towards the southern edge.
The Himalayas lie stretched uninterruptedly for over 2500
kilometers in length and 350 kilometers in breadth. They are-
the highest mountains in the world, yet they are the youngest