Prayer Flags, Prayer wheels and Mani walls (Buddhism in Nepal)

source lonely planet Trekking In the Nepal Himalaya

Prayer Flags, Prayer wheels and  Mani walls

wherever you trek in highland Nepal, strings of colored prayer flags and walls of carved mani stones indicate you're getting close to the Tibetan world. Prayer flags are strung across passes, streams and houses to sanctify the air, pacify the gods and bring merit to the owners. There are several types of prayer flags but in all the colors are highly symbolic and arranged in a specific order: white (representing air), red (fire), green (water), yellow (earth), and blue (space or ether). Flags can be horizontal (called dardings) or vertical (darchok or chatdar), but all are printed with an image of the wind horse (lungta), which carries the prayers to the four corners.

            Large piles of mani stones (pictured above) mark the entrance to most villages and monasteries in highland Nepal. They are normally inscribed with the Tibetan Buddhists mantra  'om mani padme hum', which is often simply translated as 'hail to the jewel in the lotus' (though its true meaning is far more complex). Long lines of prayer wheels, which pilgrims spin to activate the thousands of prayer wrapped inside, join Mani walls. On a track you'll see everything from personal sized, hand-spun prayer wheels to huge house-sized wheels called mani dungkhor, which come with their own private chapels.

            Remember, always walk to the left of mani walls and chortens (stupas) and spin your prayer wheels in a clockwise direction.