Spiritual · Ghunsa
Morning at the Ghunsa gompa
A short, quiet visit to the Buddhist temple above Ghunsa village, with prayer wheels, butter lamps and murals, and a conversation with a caretaker or villager about the place of the gompa in village life.
The gompa is the centre of Ghunsa's religious life. Villagers come here for daily prayers, for the ceremonies that mark births, deaths and the farming year, and for festivals in the Tibetan calendar. Lamas from the village or the wider area lead the rituals, and families take turns in looking after the building and lighting the lamps. It sits a short walk above the houses, with prayer flags strung between poles around it.
We walk up in the early morning, turn the prayer wheels and step inside if the caretaker opens the door. Our guide explains the murals and statues, and the meaning of the mani stones and prayer flags you have been passing for days on the trail. You learn why trekkers pass mani walls on the left, why prayer flags come in five colours, and what the carved syllables om mani padme hum mean.
A small donation for the upkeep of the temple is welcome, placed in the box or handed to the caretaker. It is a short visit that fits easily into the rest day, before or after the acclimatisation hike. If you happen to be in Ghunsa during a ceremony, you may hear horns, drums and chanting from the gompa; ask your guide whether visitors may watch, and keep to the back.
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Questions
Can trekkers visit the Ghunsa gompa?
Yes, visitors are usually welcome if the caretaker is there to open it. Remove your shoes and hat inside, walk clockwise, do not point your feet at the altar and ask before taking photographs. A small donation is customary.
What religion do people follow in Ghunsa?
Ghunsa's people are Tibetan Buddhists. You see this in the gompa, prayer flags, mani walls and chortens around the village, and in the butter lamps lit each day in homes and in the temple. Many households also keep a small shrine room or altar.
Are there festivals in Ghunsa?
Villagers celebrate Lhosar, the Tibetan New Year, usually in February or March, and other festivals of the Tibetan Buddhist calendar. Dates follow the lunar calendar and many families spend winter lower down, so ask us when you plan your trek.
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