Today the whole CTSS Team including our Western Guided Climbers, our Private Climbers and Sherpa Guided Climbers are coming together for the Puja ceremony.

A “Puja” is a blessing ceremony, the purpose of which is to ask the mountain deity for safe passage and of course to celebrate. It takes place on an auspicious day according to the Tibetan calendar and is traditionally undertaken before our climbing begins. Several high lama’s have traveled great distances to come to our camp to bless our expedition before we tackle the upper mountain. 

The lamas will chant for several hours, bless everyone’s climbing equipment and of course offer lots of good food! As a celebration, there will be traditional Sherpa dancing, locking arms and forming a semi circle in front of the Puja alter.

The culmination of the ceremony is raising the Puja pole in the of the alter and stringing prayer flags over our camp, building a zone of protection for the team. When the flags blow in the wind it is thought by the Sherpa that they send out prayers. This has become a common part of any Everest and Lhotse expedition and the Sherpa, who draw no distinction between their daily lives and their Tibetan Buddhism, appreciate and welcome us in this ritual.

We will share some photos will you in the next blog, but here are some from the past to give you an idea.

Our climbing teams have been busy with technical training and acclimatization hikes, meanwhile our trekkers have started their descent back down valley yesterday and will be reaching Namche today (they had a great few days in Base Camp trying their hand at iceclimbing in the Khumbu Glacier) and our Speed Ascenders are getting ready to fly to Nepal to join the team! 

Cheers
CTSS Team