November 05, 2025
The Choekhor
Summer, a time of abundance for yaks and sheep, is over, marking a period of heavy work for a family of pastoralists. The vibrant green pastures have turned to rust, with a few solitary blue gentian flowers, the last of the season, emerging in a landscape dominated by darkening yellow. Nomads are now preparing for winter.
The well-being of their flocks depends on gathering and storing winter fodder, specifically the oat harvest. Yaks and sheep, which had grazed at higher altitudes, are brought down and allowed to feast on the remnants of the now empty fields before being led to winter pastures.
With the physical preparations complete, the community turns to the spiritual aspect of preparing for winter, a blessing ritual meant to protect both the animals and the people who rely on them for their livelihoods during the colder months. Men representing the village clans ride their horses to the monastery to borrow a complete set of the Kangyur, which consists of 108 volumes of the Buddha’s teachings. They tie two to three volumes to their backs and ride off to circle the winter pastures, covering a radius of 20 kilometers that includes the sacred Amney Tongra, the mountain where the area’s protector resides. By doing this, they invoke the forces of Buddhism as well as local deities to safeguard them and their animals through the harsh winter months ahead.
Once the circumambulation is complete, they ride back to the monastery to return the volumes, ready to embark on their winter life.
