Kora

 Here they are walking around this chorten.

 This group is circumambulating an important temple.

Here these monks are doing a kora around the perimeter of the monastery complex. The word 'kora' means a pilgrim walk. They believe in circumambulating religious objects, religious buildings, religious complexes. The whole idea is devotion on earth in order to collect more merits for heaven. Early in the morning at 5 am the temple hums with the chanting of prayers by the monks. Then at daybreak the religious Tibetan pilgrims start arriving to do their kora. Everyone will be heading towards the monastery. When we first arrived and were on the outskirts of the city we came upon a chorten high above on the hilltop. We tried to get to it but it was too steep and muddy because of the rain. We saw numerous people walking around it. It was so exciting, these are what I read about and here was witnessing it in person. One comes away with an increased appreciation for our own faith.