Local Deities, Lamas, and Festivals

Experiencing the Sentient Beings of Manang Valley, Nepal

Abstract

Based on one week of ethnographic research in Manang Valley Nepal, I present an introduction to the importance of various spirits and local deities to Tibetan and Himalayan culture by describing the diverse meanings of places in Manang. I include several stories of illness and misfortune attributed to human pollution of spirit places including specific trees and a lake. I examine memories of a previously-celebrated local festival called Paten and a Buddhist prayer service performed in response to a Nepali Hindu festival. I explore the social and historical processes behind using incense, animal sacrifice, and other offerings to maintain balanced relations with spirits and local deities of the landscape. People experience the landscape from various points of view, rooted in everyday experiences and passed-down traditions. These stories, both ancient and modern, illustrate the dynamics of impermanence and continuity in Himalayan culture and religion as well as how landscapes become places of spiritual significance.