Mani Rimdu
मणि रिम्दु
A spectacular three-day Sherpa Buddhist festival at Tengboche Monastery with masked dances against the backdrop of Everest and Ama Dablam.
Location
Tengboche Monastery, Khumbu
Duration
3 days
Month (BS)
Kartik
Month (AD)
October/November
Highlights
Masked cham dances by monks in colorful costumes. Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse as backdrop. Wong blessing ceremony. Fire puja on the final day.
Tips for Visitors
Plan your EBC trek to coincide with the festival (check exact dates yearly). Book Tengboche lodges very early — they fill up. Dress warmly at 3,867m altitude. Be respectful during ceremonies — sit quietly and observe. Photography usually allowed during dances.
Mani Rimdu is the most important festival of the Khumbu Sherpas, held annually at Tengboche Monastery against what may be the most dramatic festival backdrop on Earth — the peaks of Everest, Ama Dablam, and Lhotse.
The three-day festival re-enacts the triumph of Buddhism over the ancient Bon religion. Monks perform elaborate masked dances (cham) in colorful costumes representing various deities and demons. Each dance tells a story from Buddhist mythology, with the most dramatic being the dance of the wrathful deities who destroy obstacles to enlightenment.
The festival begins with the Wong ceremony (empowerment blessing) where the Rinpoche distributes sacred pills and blessed string. The main event is the day of masked dances, where monks who have prepared for months perform intricate choreography to the sound of long horns, drums, and cymbals. The final day features the fire puja (Jhinsak) for purification.
Trekkers on the Everest Base Camp route who time their trek for Mani Rimdu (October/November) witness a truly once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience.