Forget marble and bronze; in the high Himalayas, the most sacred masterpieces are carved from grease and ice. I’ve often wondered why we humans insist on making things difficult for ourselves. We build cathedrals out of heavy stone and paint ceilings while dangling from scaffolding. But nothing quite matches the beautiful, slightly masochistic dedication of a monk elbow-deep in a bucket of ice water, trying to prevent a lump of yak butter from melting between his palms. Welcome to the World of Tormas As Losar - the Tibetan New Year - approaches, the monasteries of Ladakh, Tibet, and Bhutan transform into frantic, freezing workshops. This isn't your standard Sunday morning "sculpting class." This is a grueling test of endurance where the medium is as temperamental as a toddler and twice as slippery. Why Butter, Though? It seems an odd choice, doesn't it? If you want to create a sacred offering, ...
Forget marble and bronze; in the high Himalayas, the most sacred masterpieces are carved from grease and ice. I’ve often wondered why we humans insist on making things difficult for ourselves. We build cathedrals out of heavy stone and paint ceilings while dangling from scaffolding. But nothing quite matches the ...
Forget marble and bronze; in the high Himalayas, the most sacred masterpieces are carved from grease and ice. I’ve often wondered why we humans insist on making things difficult for ourselves. We build cathedrals out of heavy stone and paint ceilings while dangling from scaffolding. But nothing quite matches the ...
Forget marble and bronze; in the high Himalayas, the most sacred masterpieces are carved from grease and ice. I’ve often wondered why we humans insist on making things difficult for ourselves. We build cathedrals out of heavy stone and paint ceilings while dangling from scaffolding. But nothing quite matches the ...