Questions… Enigmas… Mysteries… (4)

Whose footprint is on the peak ?

Evelina Rioukhina, UNECE

“Even if you travel a thousand miles, it may only be a step”
Confucius.

There are footprints in different parts of the globe that for centuries have challenged the imagination. They are of different sizes, of different shapes, but the ones that interest us here are of “human” form. In the article below I would like to touch only on part of the mystery, namely on the sacred footprints that have their apotheosis in the print on the top of Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka.

How did I discover it? There is not much information about Adam’s Peak. However the island itself evokes a sense of mystery and secrecy. I am convinced that there are secrets everywhere, it is really just a matter of discovering them. So, I addressed myself to whom ever I could until I got to know that there is a sacred footprint on the top of one of the most mysterious and inaccessible mountains in the centre of the island, namely Adam’s Peak. Fascinated, I started to collect all possible information, visiting many local families of different religious convictions (Buddhists predominate on the island, with large Hindu, Moslems and Christians minorities). I talked to hundreds of people of different faith and got hundreds of legends. It became clear that Adam’s Peak is universally sacred, for people of many faiths. Everybody confirmed that there is a strange and very large footprint on the top of Adam’s Peak.

The mountain itself is mysterious, the home of the god Saman. It is difficult and dangerous to climb, the way leads through jungles with snakes and insects. There is some kind of metal stair of 4000 steps leading to the peak, but not all the steps are secure. The climb might take about 12-16 hours. The mountain is situated in a difficult climatic zone, and is accessible only three to four months in the year. In other months it is even impossible to approach because it is literally obscured by clouds. I myself witnessed this obscurity and inaccessibility after trying to approach it on two occasions.

Not much solid scientific information exists on the subject, and one of the best books published (perhaps, it is the only book) is the “The Sacred Footprint: a Cultural History of Adam’s Peak” by Markus Aksland. Information from this book, as well numerous discussions, are at the basis of this article.

The peak is a conical mountain 2,243 metres high, a remarkable sight, visible from far out in the Indian Ocean. Early Arab seafarers fascinated with the pyramidal peak wrote of it as «the highest mountain in the world», and «visible from three days sail». The ancient Sinhalese also believed it to be of great height and a native legend tells «from Seyllan to Paradise is forty miles, and the sound of the fountains of Paradise is heard here». Though Sri Pada was described by travellers early in history, the first to report the existence of the footprint was the Arab Soleiman in 851. The famous itinerant Arab pilgrim Ibn Batuta (1304-1377) had ventured to reach the summit of the holy mountain via Ratnapura, trekking by way of the banks of the Kaluganga, which discharges its confluence into the sea at Kalutara, having commenced his journey from Barberyn (Beruwala). Before him, the renowned Venetian merchant and traveller, Marco Polo (1254-1324), too had ascended the mountain to pay homage to the glorious Foot of Adam, on his way from China in 1292, before returning to Venice. It was while in China that he had come to know about the sacred footmark from Kublai Khan, the first Emperor of the Yuan dynasty in China. The first European to describe the peak first hand was Daniel Pathey, a German serving in 1648 as a soldier in the Dutch East India Company.

The summit of the mountain is a small plateau, and according to measurements made by Lieutenant Malcolm (in 1816), «it is 74 ft. in length and 24 ft. in breadth,» the total area being 1,776 sq. ft. On the summit there is a huge boulder, about 8 ft. high, atop which is the sacred footmark. According to a mythical conception, woven into the fabric of native folklore, the real impression of the foot lies under the boulder, on a blue sapphire. To pre- serve it from profanation, the God Sakra had covered it with the boulder. «The footmark is 68 inches long, and 31 inches and 29 inches wide at the toes and the heel respectively. It is ornamented with a margin of brass and studded with a few gems. The cavity bears some coarse resemblance to a human foot, but the size is gigantic, and seems partly natural and partly artificial. There are little raised partitions to represent the interstices between toes.» So says Dr. John Davy who had climbed the mountain in 1817.

The Peak is the holy place for all four religions: Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity

Buddhism: According to one legend the Buddha is believed to have left the print of his left foot on Adam’s Peak, and then, in one stride crossed to Siam, (now Thailand) where he left the impression of his right foot. The Thai version is called Phra Sat, and its appearance is supposed to be like that of the foot print on Adam’s Peak and it is of similar size. Other, similar footprints were found in Laos (Pha Baat Phonsan), Cambodge (Phnom Santuk) and China (Wu-Tai Shan). Buddhists attribute this universal size (such is the belief) to the fact that the Buddha was about thirty- five feet tall. The real footprint on Adam’s Peak is believed to be set in jewels beneath the visible rock.

Islam: The Arabs record it as being the solitary footprint of Adam where he stood for a thousand years of penance on one foot. An Arab tradition tells that when Adam was expelled from heaven, God put him on the peak to make the shock less terrible – Ceylon being that place on earth closest to and most like heaven. In view of this their belief that atop the mountain lies the sepulchre of Adam they call the mountain ‘Adam-malai’ (Mount of Adam).

Christian view: the Portuguese, who came to Sri Lanka in 1505, called the mountain Pico de Adam (anglicised Adam’s Peak). They held the belief that St. Thomas the Doubter, came to India and Sri Lanka, baptised Gondophorus, the Indo-Parthian king, and after leaving his footmark on the mountain, ascended to Heaven.

The Hindus believe that the footmark is that of Lord Shiva, the third godhead of the Hindu Holy Triad. The God is supposed to have settled on the summit to shed his divine light upon mankind. Hence they call the mountain ‘Sivanolipadam’ (Foot of Shiva’s Light). The votaries of Shiva ascend the mountain beseeching divine help and providence to be born in the celestial abode (i.e. Mt. Kailas in Tibet). To note here, that there exists a view of a deeper connection between Adam’s Peak and Mt. Kailas, e.g. located on the same geo- graphical axis, having similar pyramidal shape, Adam’s Peak is sometimes considered as a natural and also spiritual “replica” of the Mt. Kailas, one of the holiest and the most enigmatic places on our planet (please, read more detailed article on Mt. Kailas in the future issues of the UN Special).

Whatever the belief, everybody who reaches the peak pays special tribute to the sun, and there is a ceremony at sunrise, which in itself justifies the difficult climb. Everybody reaching the top stands facing east with their hands held together in an attitude of adoration awaiting the emergence of the sun. They watch intently the changing colours of the sky prior to sunrise and just as the tip of the sun appears everybody cries out «Sadhu, sadhu, sa!» in a manner reminiscent of sun worship. And while a heavy bell is loudly rung a shade of pyramidal form appears near the mountain and stays for some instants. The shade has the dimensions of a perfect triangular pyramid even though the slopes of the peak are not so regular. This is perhaps an optical illusion, but it definitely adds to the mysticism that surrounds the mountain.

One more interesting detail to note here as well is that Adam’s Peak is also called the ‘butterfly mountain’ because of the myriads of small butterflies that fly from all over the island to die upon the sacred mountain

From ancient times until today Adam’s Peak has attained a legendary status as destination of a mystic pilgrimage. The pilgrimage season begins annually on the ‘Unduvap’ full moon day in December and ends on the ‘Vesak’ full moon day end April or May. During this open season pilgrims climb the mountain to pay homage to the sacred footmark. Sri Pada is the only mountain in the world receiving the veneration of devotees belonging to four major religions. Votive offerings are made here, especially of a coil of silver as long as the donor is tall, for recovery from sickness; moreover, rainwater taken from the footprint is believed to have wonderful healing power.

What is really on the top of the mountain? As I mentioned at the beginning of the article, being in the vicinity of Adam’s Peak, we tried to approach it, but could not do so because of the wall of rain (literally wall of rain which could not let us come closer than 20 km to the place, although it was sunny weather over the other parts of the island). As we learned, this happens very often during “out of season” time, however there could be better days. So, we are now seriously preparing to have another attempt, so we can see the footprint and the triangular shade when the sun rises. I envy those who have done this, and it would be great if we could manage it ourselves.

Whose footprint is there? Is it a real foot- print of a giant? Is it a natural phenomenon? Why then are these phenomena repeated in several places in the world, of the same size, and the same dimension? Who made this print? Humans? Nature? And who made it in Thailand? And who made it in Laos, Cambodia? Maybe there are more places (not yet discovered) with similar footprints? Is there any connection between all these footprints? Does the pyramidal shape have special meaning? Why should a perfect triangle appear when the mountain does not have such perfect slopes? Is there any connection between these triangles and the giant footprints? How I would love to be able one day to answer at least one of these questions. (Only general view of Adam’s Peak and its triangular shadow are shown in the photos, it is strictly prohibited to photograph the footprint).