No reputable report on trekking in Nepal would be complete without some mention of the prayer wheels and mani stones that can be found throughout the region. Most villages have a welcome gate, essentially a big archway, sometimes with prayer wheels in the columns. Usually at the center of town is a collection of prayer wheels. The most basic can be simple rusted cans, others are more decorative either by carvings or paintings. Inscribed on them is - om mani padma ohm which is also a chant repeated over and over. As you pass by them, always with your right side towards them, you spin the wheels (which may have a scripture inside with the verse) in order to be blessed and have good luck. The spinning action multiplies your blessings.
Similar inscriptions are found on mani stones that are found along the trail in various locations. These are usually stacked together.
Another interesting tidbit is about the burial mounds. These look like chortens but are different. In the villages (at least the ones we passed) when someone dies you consult the sharman who tells you where you need to bury the dead - an auspicious place - so that the spirit will move on to its next position (on the path to full enlightenment). The sharman also tells the family how to dispose of the body, i.e. cremation, burial or air (via vultures). Namaste.
