Everest Base Camp Trekking During Mani Rimdu Festival

Overview

It is a delight if you are planning for a tour to Everest during the festival time of autumn. Mainly EBC trekking during Mani Rimdu festival is a delight for everyone to enjoy. This particular festival is famous amongst Sherpa who belong to the Nying Mapa sect of Tibetian Buddhists.

A lot of the trekkers who come alongside Roving Nepal Trek are interested in booking their trek during this time. Tengboche monastery becomes delightful during this period. More than festival there is much more to appreciate and understand. Stick with us. 

What is Mani Rimdu Festival?

A lot of the readers might be interested to know about the Mani Rimdu festival. Well, this particular festival is celebrated by the Sherpa people of the Everest region. A festival that spans 19 days hits a peak in the last 3 days.

To match that aura and charisma, Roving Nepal Trek arranges the itinerary based on that. This particular festival falls during November according to the Buddhist Lunar calendar. 

Mani Rimdu is highly celebrated in the Tengboche monastery of the Everest region. This festival signifies the victory of positive forces over evil and demon forces. Masked dances representing tantric magicians, fire worshipping, and offering to Buddhist gods, this festival is a delight. 

Overview of Everest Base Camp Trekking During Mani Rimdu Festival

This is an exciting time for every trekker. As a result of that we plan the trek accordingly. Our itinerary for the Mani Rimdu festival is a total of 15 days. 

We will take a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and catch the route of Namche. We reach Tengboche to attend the last three days of the Mani Rimdu festival. A sacred spiritual experience, Mani Rimdu takes you closer to the Buddhist and Sherpa culture in the mountains. 

Things to Focus on Before Attending the Mani Rimdu Festival

It doesn't matter whether you are a Nepalese or foreign tourist, it is important to respect the culture of a particular place. Mani Rimdu is very important for the people of the Everest region. So some things need to be focused on:

• Dress properly and modestly:

Nepal is slightly conservative and not open like the Western culture. In the case of festivals, we prefer more of the most and best dress up. Therefore try and wear something subtle for the occasion. 

Always try and cover your shoulders and legs and not wear any highly revealing clothes. If the dress you wore is offensive it creates a negative impact. 

• Always focus on the weather

Everest region is a cold place. Although autumn might throw in beautiful weather it doesn't take a long time to change. Therefore have some clothes that will help you in any weather. 

Along with good clothes, you should also have good footwear. We suggest all the guests have better shoes which can protect them from harsh weather. 

• Be acceptable

Being open-minded is key in Nepal. When you are attending an event which you have no idea try and respect everything that comes along the way. Mani Rimdu is a culturally beautiful experience so try and embrace it. 

Tourists will have an opportunity to learn about the country, customs, beliefs, and practices. So try and have an open mind to understand the culture up close. 

• Be respectful 

It doesn't matter whether you are attending a festival or not, being respectful is the key. The more respect you give the higher you will receive. In the case of Mani Rimdu try and be respectful to the local people. 

Try and ask permission from the local people before taking their image or also video. Also, have a sense of welcoming nature towards the kids of the particular place. This keeps you in a better mindset during the overall festival celebration. 

Process of Celebrating Mani Rimdu Festival

There is a certain process to celebrate any festival and the same is the case with Mani Rimdu. As this particular festival is celebrated for multiple days it is quite understandable that there is a certain process to it. 

• Opening ceremony:

The opening ceremony for Mani Rimdu highlights the prayers, offerings and also hoisting of a ceremonial flag. All the elder people from the roundabout will be part of the opening ceremony. 

• Mask Dances:

The second step is about the mask dances. The local monks and religious people wear the mask and perform their holy dance. The victory of good over evil, protection of the Tibetan community, and attainment of enlightenment are the major focus of this dance. 

• Oral transmissions:

During the celebration of Mani Rimdu, oral transmissions will be provided by the lama or spiritual teacher to the in charge of the festival. These sacred teachings are focused on purifying and strengthening the spiritual power of participants and the whole community. 

• Fire Puja:

As the name suggests, there is a fire puja that takes place in order to purify the overall environment. From the people present in the puja to the surroundings where the puja takes place, fire puja takes place. It is known to kill the negative energies. 

Closing ceremony:

Similar to how the festival started the closing is also the same. First of all the prayers and offerings are provided to the deity. In the end, the ceremonial flag hoisted on the first day will be taken down.