Mani Rimdu festival trek those who are interested to combine his/her trek with some glimpse of festival of Nepal. This is just the perfect trek for them.
Mani Rimdu is a 19-day sequence of sacred ceremonies and empowerments culminating in a public festival lasting for three days. It is an opportunity for Sherpa and Tibetans to gather and celebrate together with the monastic community.
Mani Rimdu is a re-creation of legendary events; the establishment of Buddhism in Tibet by the great saint Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava). Through the dances, symbolic demons are conquered, dispelled, or converted to Dharma Protectors, as positive forces clash with those of chaos. The dances convey Buddhist teaching on many levels from the simplest to the most profound.
The monks who perform the dances, first take vows at an empowerment ceremony with Trulshig Rinpoche. During the dances they become deities, rather than ordinary people. Because the dances are regarded as sacred, they can only be performed in the context of Mani Rimdu, and not for ordinary entertainment. Trulshig Rinpoche explains, “seeing Mani Rimdu is like receiving a blessing”.
Some of the major attractions of Mani Rimdu Festival:
1: The Empowerment (Wong)
The Wong is the opening public ceremony. It's performed on the full moon day, of the tenth month in the Tibetan lunar calendar. His Holiness Trulshig Rinpoche, gives the empowerment on this auspicious occasion; for long life, happiness and prosperity. The sacred Mani Rilwu (sacred pills) and Tshereel (pills for long life), are given to everyone attending.
2: The Dances (Chham)
The dances take place on the 2nd day of Mani Rimdu. This offering of spiritual nectar is made in many ceremonies. The six dancers represent Ngag-pa, Tantric magicians. They make offerings of alcohol from silver chalices, and small tormas, to the Lama, Yidam, Khandro, and Shi-Dak (the Earth deities).
A Buddhist practitioner takes ‘refuge’ in the Lama (spiritual guide), Yidam (personal deity) and Khandro (wisdom dakini). A central theme in Tibetan Buddhist practice, is to make offerings to these beings, so that they will help with the virtuous actions which lead to Buddhahood.
3: The Fire Puja (Jinsak)
ImageThe Fire Puja is performed in the courtyard the day after the dances. Most of the village people have gone home, and Chiwong has a quiet, almost family atmosphere.
The Fire Puja is an offering to Agni (the god of fire), and to the Gods of the mandala - to allay all harm in the world. The harm is visualized as dissolving into the grain and butter is burned.
Afterwards, the sand mandala in the temple is dismantled, and the sand is given as an offering to the serpent gods (Nagas), at the spring below the monastery.
4: Chhingpa
ImageThe next dance depicts the Four Protecting Ghings, defending the Buddhist faith against attack by demons. Shining paper masks hide the faces of the dancers, each a different color and each displaying a constant smile. The dancers' skips are rhythmically accompanied by the beating of cymbals.
Without breaking step, the dancers charge haltingly at children in the audience. The youngsters recoil in horror, much to the amusement of everyone else in the crowd.
Arrive in Kathmandu at any time. Our airport representative will welcome you and explain the program further. There are no planned activities for the day, so check into the hotel. Enjoy your overnight stay at the hotel.
Tours of World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu Valley that includes Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa and Pasupatinath Temple. Overnight at hotel
After 45 minutes fly from Kathmandu to Lukla and will have breakfast and then continue our family journey passing many Buddhist monuments during the trail and finally we reach in Phakding which takes about 3 hours. We will have lunch there. Evening time, we go for village tour with our guide. Overnight in Lodge.
In the morning after breakfast we start from hotel and we reach in Monjo after 3 hours walk passing many suspension bridges with good view of Mt. Thamserku and we should entry our permit and will have lunch in Jorsalle. Then we start to climb steep up slowly passing high suspension bridge till Namche Bazar which takes about 2 and half hour. We have a great view of Khwangde Range and Thamserku. Overnight in Lodge.
In this day, we will hike to Everest view hotel for panoramic and spectacular view of mountains. It takes 2 hours to reach there and enjoy the view of the mountains. Then we climb down to Khumjung village for the visit monastery and Khumjung Hillary School. It takes about 1 hour. We can see Skull of Yeti inside the Monastery. This is the biggest Sherpa village in Khumbu region. Again we continue our trek to Khunde village which takes about 1 hour. We will have lunch there and visit the old monastery and Khunde Hospital. We come back to our hotel in Namche via Syangboche village. It takes about 1 and half hour. Overnight in Lodge.
In the morning, we start our trek like the day before. The level trail continues till reaching Kyanjuma village and takes about 1 and half hour. Then it climbs down to the Dudh Kosi River and crosses a suspension bridge. We can see a series of picturesque water driven prayer wheel. Then we will have lunch in Phungi Thangna. The steep ascent brings us to Tengboche village. We can visit the monastery in the evening. The views of the mountains, Sunrise as well as Sunset are spectacular in the morning and evening. Overnight in Lodge.
This day after breakfast, we return back same way to Namche bazaar. Firstly our trail steep descents to Dudh Kosi River and again trail ascent brings us to reach Kyangjuma village and it takes 3 hours. We will have lunch there. After lunch the trail continues straight until reaching Namche and takes about 2 hours to reach. Overnight in Lodge.
In the morning, we will leave the Namche Bazar and trail descents through pine trees and cross the high suspension bridge over the Dudh Kosi River. Then our trail continues River side and we arrive in Jorsalle and it takes about 2 and half hours. We continue again our trek until reaching Phakding with crossing several bridges about 1 and half hours walk. We will have our lunch there. After lunch our trail continues until Lukla with passing up and down which takes about 2 hours. Overnight in Lodge.
Early in the morning fly back to Kathmandu and transfer to hotel
Today, you have leisure day for relax or shopping in Kathmandu so you can do your own activities by yourself or consult with company to arrange extra activities. Overnight at hotel
After breakfast, End of our services with departure transfer to the Kathmandu airport to board flight for your onward destination.
Package cost always depends on the number of people travelling in your group, standard of the hotels you like to take, the mode of transportations you choose as (by private vehicle, tourist bus, plane, 4WD) and the period you are travelling (High season, Low season) etc. Please click on the next tab (INQUIRY/ BOOKING) and send us your inquiry. We will reply you with cost and other necessary details within 24 hours.
Nepal Trekking Holidays
Thamel Kathmandu, Nepal
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