(SHIVA )IN THE BEGINNING
Thousands of years ago, as history dawned in the distant Himalayas, there lived a few renun- ciants seeking to understand the mysteries of life. Aware of the transitory nature of existence, they sought lasting fulfillment by emulating their God, Rudra, Lord of the Wind, whose abode upon the summit of Mount Kailash, now in Tibet, has been sacred to Hindus throughout the ages. These long-haired ascetics lived apart from society, chanting and meditating to attain union with their Lord.
Dressing in black with ramsтАЩ hides thrown over their shoulders, they shunned possessions by constantly wandering from place to place. They were said to be men who never die, who possessed magical powers and could see heaven from their lofty mountain retreats. Keeping their knowledge sacred, it was passed on by word of mouth from master to initiate and has come down through the ages in the form of stories, songs and legends.
