Traditional Tibetan Craft in the Mount Everest summit Region
During festivals on the Everest trekking route, you may see 'Tormas'—intricate sculptures made from yak butter and flour. These fleeting works of art are a vital part of Mount Everest expedition spirituality.
Because they are made of butter, these sculptures can only be created in the cold Himalayan climate. Monks spend weeks carving them for the success of climbers attempting the Mount Everest summit. It is a labor of love and faith.
After the ceremony, the sculptures are often destroyed or fed to the birds. This represents the core Buddhist belief in impermanence—a lesson that resonates deeply with Mount Everest expedition members facing the elements.
The butter is dyed with vivid mineral pigments. Seeing these bright colors inside a dark monastery is a visual highlight for any Everest trekking group resting on their way to the Mount Everest summit view points.
Like the view from the Mount Everest summit, the butter sculptures are beautiful because they are rare and temporary. They remind us to cherish the present moment of our expedition.
