Mount Kailash: Return to Tibet

Often hailed as a founding father of New Age music, flutist Paul Horn is a versatile recording artist with numerous albums to his credit, including Inside the Great Pyramid and Inside the Taj Mahal (which has sold more than 500,000 copies). Mount Kailash: Return to Tibet is a sequel to the earlier Kris Kristofferson-narrated documentary Journey Inside Tibet (also included on the DVD), in which Horn embarked on a spiritual pilgrimage with Lama Tenzin, a Tibetan exile who hoped to reunite with his family; the new film chronicles Horn's return pilgrimage to Mount Kailash to honor Tenzin's passing. According to four different religious traditions (Bonism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism), Mount Kailash is the spiritual center of the universe. From Kathmandu, Nepal, and across the Tibetan plateau to Lhasa, the film follows Horn, who hopes to reach Kailash by the full moon festival of Saga Dawa, when Buddhists from throughout the region gather to honor the Buddha. At the age of 71, Horn did admirably well on his trek (I visited Nepal myself in 1996, and one of my hiking companions was 83!). A beautiful testament to friendship, faith, and the desire for a simpler lifestyle, this documentary should appeal to a wide range of musical, spiritual, and travel-related interests. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (J. Asala)