A REUNION OF SOULS
During three days, the steep hills of Manang, Nepal have become a cloud of holy smoke to feed the souls of what the Buddhists refer to as invisible beings.
Throughout the hours of ceremonies and rituals, several fires are nourished with leaves, branches, rice, vegetables, sweets and fruit, ensuring their smoke nurtures, without pause, those who the human eye cannot see. Instead, what can be heard and seen are ancient chants, dances and rituals which are captured by hundreds of mobile phones, which are also used to follow the sacred texts, especially at night.
The systematic murmur of prayers and mantras recited in unison by hundreds of voices wrapped in the ghostly smoke, end up plunging us into a mesmerising trance amid the echo of trumpets, bells and drums. The final ceremony, on the last night, is the greatest surprise of all: the lighting of hundreds of butter lamps that make the Milarepa temple shine like a true treasure in the darkness at the feet of the Annapurna.
