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Mani Rimbu is the biggest festival of the Sherpa communities of
the Khumbu region. It is held during the full moon of the ninth
month. Sherpas from the Khumbu region congregate at Tengboche
Monastery, the only picturesque monastery situated on a spur at
3,870 meters. From
the monastery one can view of Mt. Everest and Ama Dablam. The
three-day celebration of Mani Rimbu follows the ten days of
non-stop prayer session addressed to the patron deities seeking
blessing from the god to all mankind. The deity propitiated is
Guru Rinpoche, the founder of Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet. The
ceremony begins with the blowing of horns in the afternoon of
the first day. Then, the abbot of the monastery being
accompanied by other monks in their maroon robes, arrives on the
stage. Prayers are chanted and gratitude is extended to all
those who have contributed to the event. The people then rise to
their feet to receive blessings, holy water and auspicious
pellets from the Abbot for good luck and longevity.
An orchestra of cymbals, horns, flutes, and conch shells
announces the start of the second day's celebration. This is
followed by the masked dances in which monks in colorful robes
and huge glowering masks perform ritual dances symbolizing the
destruction of evil forces. In one of the dances, a group of
monks clad in bright silk attire and black headgear perform
ablution to the gods and pray for divine protection from the
forces of evil. The performances, enlivened by
humorous interludes, continue until dark. Torma (figure made of
dough) are consigned to a sacred fire on the last day. This
implies the end of negative forces and the advent of a blessed
new year. |
