Dancers in costume at Thangbi Mani Tsechu (festival), Jakar, Bumthang, Chokor Valley, Bhutan, Asia

Dancers in costume at Thangbi Mani Tsechu (festival), Jakar, Bumthang, Chokor Valley, Bhutan, Asia

Evening food stalls on Mani Nopharat Road, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Close up of Mani stones along one of the trekking trails in the Sagarmatha National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nepal, Asia

Mani Walls, Solu Khumbu Region, Nepal, Asia

Altar with original frescoes, Former Convent San Miguel Arcangel, founded 1541 AD, Route of the Convents, Mani, Yucatan, Mexico, North America

Dancers at Thangbi Mani Tsechu (festival), Jakar, Bumthang, Chokor Valley, Bhutan, Asia

Trekkers walking past a mani stone, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, Asia

Altar with original frescoes, Former Convent San Miguel Arcangel, founded 1541 AD, Route of the Convents, Mani, Yucatan, Mexico, North America

A woman trekking in the Langtang valley stops near a colorful Mani Stone wall below a Stupa decorated with Buddhist prayer flags, Langtang Region, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Former Convent San Miguel Arcangel, founded 1541 AD, Route of the Convents, Mani, Yucatan, Mexico, North America

Church and Convent of San Miguel Arcangel, established in 1549, Mani, Route of the Convents, Yucatan, Mexico, North America

The Mani stone carvings in the Manaslu region are some of the most detailed and beautiful anywhere in the Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Hiking past a traditional Mani stone wall in the Langtang Valley with views of Ganchempo in the distance, Langtang Region, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Colourful Mani wall on a chorten in the Solukhumbu region of Nepal, Asia

Wat Mani Chonlakhan, Lop Buri, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Close-up of Mani stones, Swayambhunath temple, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Orange tree in a little village in the Lakonian Mani, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Wat Mani Chonlakhan, a Buddhist Temple in Lop Buri, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Greek Orthodox church tower in Areopoli, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Cape Tainaron (Cape Matapan) landscape, the southernmost point of Greece, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Petrobey Mavromichalis statue in Areopoli, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Namche Bazaar, mani stone and prayer flags, Sagarmatha National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Khumbu Valley, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Mani-stone and mani-wall, Solukhumbu, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Beach at Skoutari, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Mani wall, high Khumbu, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Porters pass a mani-wall, high Khumbu, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Lichen grows on an old Buddhist mani wall (prayer wall) constructed on the trail from Lukla to Tangnag, near Mera Peak, Khumbu region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Greek Orthodox church in Areopoli, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Mural statue in stone of Petrobey Mavromichalis in Areopolis, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Abandoned house ruin on the coast, with turquoise sea water, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Vathia, abandoned village in the mountains of Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Vathia, abandoned village in the mountains of Mani Peninsula at sunset, Peloponnese, Greece

Vathia, abandoned village in the mountains of Mani Peninsula at sunset, Peloponnese, Greece

Marmari beach with turquoise sea water in Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Marmari beach with turquoise sea water in Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Boat on a beach bay at Cape Tainaron (Cape Matapan) at sunset, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Greek Orthodox church in Areopoli, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Greek Orthodox church in Areopoli, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Ruined church, Limeni, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Areopoli historic city center with flags of Greece and Flag of the fighters of the autonomous Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Areopoli historic city center with flags of Greece and Flag of the fighters of the autonomous Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Greek Orthodox church tower in Areopoli, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Vathia, abandoned village in the mountains of Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Vathia, abandoned village in the mountains of Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Vathia, abandoned village in the mountains of Mani Peninsula at sunset, Peloponnese, Greece

Vathia, abandoned village in the mountains of Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Cape Tainaron (Cape Matapan) landscape, the southernmost point of Greece, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Petrobey Mavromichalis statue in Areopoli, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Petrobey Mavromichalis statue in Areopoli, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Petrobey Mavromichalis statue in Areopoli, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Mani stones inscribed with an ancient Buddhist mantra decorate the trail to Everest Base Camp, Khumbu Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Mani stone, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

The ancient towers of Vathia among wild spring flowers on the Mani Peninsula in the Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

The ancient towers of Vathia among wild spring flowers on the Mani Peninsula in the Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

A woman trekking in the Taygetos mountains on the Mani Peninsula in the Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Colourful mani wall with Tibetan inscriptions, Tashiding, Sikkim, India, Asia

A man hiking in the Taygetos Mountains on the Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Silhouette of Monte Resegone and Monte Due Mani at dawn, Monte Coltignone, Lecco, Lombardy, Italian Alps, Italy, Europe

Fishing boat, Limeni, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

A Mani wall, inscribed with an ancient Buddhist mantra decorates the trail to Everest Base Camp, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Mani stones and a Kani are the gateway to a small village in the Kagmara valley in Dolpa, a remote region of Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

A woman hiking in the Taygetos Mountains on the Mani Peninsula in the Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

A woman hiking a trail full of abundant wild flowers on the Mani Peninsula in the Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Panoramic of Monte Resegone and Monte Due Mani at dawn, Monte Coltignone, Lecco, Lombardy, Italian Alps, Italy, Europe

The Harbour at Gytheio, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Old fortified village of Vathia, in the Lakonian Mani, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Fishing Boat, Limeni, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

The Harbour at Gytheio, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Gerolimenas, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Old fortified village of Vathia, in the Lakonian Mani, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Little mountain village in the Lakonian Mani, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Gytheio, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

The Harbour at Gytheio, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Lakonian Mani, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Gerolimenas, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Orange tree in a little village in the Lakonian Mani, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Restaurant in Areopoli, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Gerolimenas, Mani, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Mani stone detail, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh state, India, Asia

Restaurant in Areopoli, Mani Peninsula, The Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Monks and priest at Thangbi Mani Tsechu (festival), Jakar, Bumthang, Chokor Valley, Bhutan, Asia

Mani, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Village in the Mani, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Mani stones printed with Tibetan prayers beside a track in Solu Khumbu, Nepal, Asia

Elonas monastery, Mani, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Gerolimenas Vasthia, Mani, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe

Sang sang rimpoche uses the dorje, a sacred ritual object to make the first decisive cut into the sand mandala on the last day of the mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal. solu khumbu, nepal

Fire ritual at chiwang monastery during the mani rimdu festival. these monks circumambulate the pyre after its ignition. one holds a long book wrapped in a felicitous scarf. the purifying fire takes the offering and raises them towards the sky in smoke. the circumambulatory ritual also recalls the way disciples showed respect for the buddhas body. solu khumbu, nepal

Monk beating traditional drum called gong, int he courtyard of chiwang monastery during mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal

Mani mask dancers at mani festival marks setting in of spring season in humla. masked dances diversion a long-established part of bonpo religious ceremonies.Dance Is means by which supernatural forces be brought down to world of. Dance recalls a time when distance between spirits samll. Humla, north-west nepal

A solitary mask dancer appears wearing a frightening mask and silk brocade. they circle the courtyard with sprightly leaps. called protectors of faith, or dharmapdla, the origins of figures like these can be traced back to the pre-aryan peoples of india. originally known as yaksas (literally, a wondrous thing), they were tree spirits, who were accepted by the buddhists as defenders of the faith. in nepal and tibet, as in india, local deities were converted into protectors. a devotee of an alien sect devised a means to humiliate the buddha and his disciples. the buddha discovered it and succeeded in converting him to his teaching. due to lack of wisdom, the buddha remarked, some could not realize the goodness of his disciples and he compared the ignorant to the blind and the wise to those who have eyes.nobody is condemned in buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. -the dhammapada. solu khumbu, nepal

Khyunglung, tibet. Chortens mark entrance to khyunglung (garuda valley), capital of zhangzhung prior to seventh or eighth century b.c

Mani stones engraved with the Tibetan mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, Nubra Valley, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India, Asia

Tavern Lelas in the evening, Kardamyli, Peloponnese, Greece

Fishing boats in the bay near Dirou, Mani Peninsula, Peloponnese, Greece

Mani wall, Mani stone, Dudh Kosi valley, Solukhumbu, Khumbu, Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

Mani wall, Mani stone, Dudh Kosi valley, Solukhumbu, Khumbu, Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

Red, yellow, white, blue and green prayer flags at the Bodnath stupa, accompanied by traditional Tibetan prayer verses "Om mani padme hum, " which are said to be carried throughout the world by the wind, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Historic stupa at Thame, Bhote Koshi valley, Khumbu Himal, Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal