April 19, 2023: Bridge on the Way to Festival

This morning in remote Tsum, I left the monastery compound and surrounding village, to trek to a neighbouring nunnery, where a celebration of No Killing was taking place all day. Tsum is one of the few areas in the entire world where it is illegal to kill any living creature, and it is signed into law, for 100 years. The Nepalese prime minister came in his helicopter to participate and there were prayers and then formal speeches. Except for a few trekkers and security, the crowd was only villagers from all over the region, and monks and nuns.

The women wore their finest and the colours were brilliant on this clear and windy day in the high altitude.

On the way was the long delicate footbridge to cross, and traditional carved stones with prayers, in the form of a “stupa”.

Can you find the bridge in this picture?

“Stupa” or “chorten” of prayer stones.

Thank you for your interest!