By Victor M Fontane
According to Buddhist cosmology, Mount Meru (or Sumeru) is at the centre of the world. The Sun and the Moon revolve around Mount Meru, and as the Sun passes behind it, it becomes nighttime. The mountain has four faces — each one made of a different material; the northern face is made of gold, the eastern one is made of crystal, the southern one is made of lapis lazuli, and the western one is made of ruby. In Vajrayāna, maṇḍala offerings often include Mount Meru, as they in part represent the entire universe. It is also believed that Mount Meru is the home of the buddha Cakrasaṃvara.
In Hindu mythology, a golden mountain that stands in the centre of the universe and is the axis of the world. It is the abode of gods, and its foothills are the Himalayas, to the south of which extends Bhāratavarṣa (“Land of the Sons of Bharata”), the ancient name for India. Is mentioned in the Puranas and epics and is witness to several incidents in Hindu tradition and according to Hindu mythology is the dwelling place of the gods. The mountain is said to be surrounded by an ocean, and the complex's enormous moat suggests the oceans at the edge of the world.When a cycle of creation ends, all living beings followed Dharma get shelter on the Meru. As per Puranas, heaven is located on the peaks of the meru, netherworld is at the base and earth is located in the middle portion. Hindu Puranas mention that the height and breadth of Meru is 84,000 yojanas. One yojana is equal to 8 miles. It is also believed that the Mountain holds the Earth – this is because 16000 yojana of the mountain is beneath the earth.
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