The mountains and the Himalayas are not merely geographical heights to be climbed, nor are they only a matter of courage, records, and personal achievements; rather, they are sacred lands connected with Nepali’s identity, livelihood, culture, and faith.
For climbers and mountaineers coming from different parts of the world to climb in the Himalayas, the mountain climbing can merely be a dream, an adventure, a personal achievement, or an opportunity to make new records.
But for us Nepalese, our relationship with the Himalayas is deeper than this. It is connected not only with our profession, business, and livelihood, but also with our religion, culture, history, beliefs, and spiritual life.
In different scriptures, legends, and the beliefs, the Himalayas are described as the abode of gods and goddesses, the place where sages and saints have meditated, and sacred spiritual regions. From the association of Shiva and Parvati with the entire Himalayas to other sacred sites like Muktinath, Damodar Kunda, Mount Kailash, and Manasarovar, many parts of the Himalayas are respected as centers of Hindu and Buddhist faith.
Based on this eternal faith and belief, before beginning any important activities in the mountains, our ancestors initiated the practice of performing a Puja/Pooja ceremony, begging for forgiveness and receiving blessings for safe passage. This practice is continuing to this day, as the new generation also follows the same belief and respects the mountains with the same faith.
For us, this is not a routine and a mere religious ritual; rather, it is a reflection of our humility and respect towards the mountains and Mother Nature, and a sincere act of giving up all our ego before a power greater than ourselves.
Today, at the Satori Adventures’ Manaslu Expedition Autumn 2026 Base Camp, the Sherpa guides, entire support staffs, and all the climbing members came together and completed the sacred and special Pooja ceremony.
Monks from a nearby monastery led the ceremony in which our Sherpa crews and foreign climbers jointly followed the instructions, begged pardon in front of the giant Manaslu, get their climbing gears blessed, burned juniper incense, and offered meals and drinks to the mountain spirits. This Puja, performed before proceeding towards the climbing route above Camp II, is, according to our tradition, and an opportunity to ask permission from the mountain, express respect towards the deities, and pray for the safe journey of all the climbers and supporting team members.
We, at Satori Adventures, pray together – may all the climbers and Sherpa guides be given strength, may the weather be favorable, may the climbing route remain safe, may there be no unforeseen incidents, and may everyone achieve their dreams and return home safely.
What our culture and religion have taught us is to respect nature, welcome our guests with hospitable manner, practice tolerance and compassion, and uphold morality. With the timeless belief, “Atithi Devo Bhava,” or “The Guest is Like a God,” Nepal embraces this spirit as the soul of its tourism. Nepal’s tradition of welcoming foreign visitors from the heart, not merely as customers but as guests, makes Nepal’s tourism unique in the world.
In today’s hectic world, people are becoming attracted towards yoga, meditation, spiritual journeys, and retreats for peace of mind, self-satisfaction, and self-realization. Thus, we view all these age-old faiths and traditions as cultural heritage that keeps the relationship between people, nature, and spiritual consciousness alive, rather than from a conservative perspective.
We would like to convey this very message to all tourism entrepreneurs, tourism professionals, mountaineers, adventure enthusiasts, and our well-wishers from Manaslu Base Camp that:
We do not endeavor to conquer these Himalayan peaks; rather, we wish to spend some time in their lap, with humility respecting entirely.
And,
Our ego cannot be greater than these Himalayan giants and nature. Moving forward with faith, discipline, respect, and safety is the true identity of our mountaineering culture.
We wish a safe and successful ascent to all the climbers, and Sherpa team members participating in the Manaslu climbing efforts this autumn 2026.
May the blessings of the mountain deities remain with you, and may everyone return home safely after the Manaslu summit !
