Hospitality Rituals for Your Mount Everest Expedition
The white silk scarf, or Khata, is the most sacred symbol of hospitality in the Everest trekking region. Receiving one before you depart for the Mount Everest summit is a sign of goodwill and protection for your entire Mount Everest expedition.
The white color represents purity and sincerity. When a Sherpa offers you a Khata, they are wishing you safe passage toward the Mount Everest summit. It is a deeply spiritual gesture that bonds the trekker to the local community.
Accept the Khata with both hands and a slight bow. Many Mount Everest expedition members choose to tie their Khatas to the summit ridge or the rocks at Everest Base Camp as an offering to the mountain gods.
The Khata represents the connection between the physical journey of Everest trekking and the spiritual journey of the soul. It is a reminder that the Mount Everest summit is a destination of peace as much as accomplishment.
The Khata is the physical symbol of the goodwill that powers every successful Mount Everest expedition. Carry it with pride as you walk toward the Mount Everest summit.
