Planning the expedition
After the tragedies our village has suffered, mainly the hailstorm and illness, the blessings given to us by the lama’s visit has finally paid off: new and exciting news has reached our village that the side of a cliff has fallen and exposed ancient caves in the Mustang region. Mustang is a restricted area of the Himalayan Mountains, which has only recently become open to the outside world. The Mustang region is home to the greatest concentration of human carved cliff caves, and contains large complexes that no one has ever had the chance to explore. Caves that have been reached have been converted into modern dwellings or monasteries. The ones that have yet to be explored is due to the obstacle created by dangerous terrain; along with the inconvenient locations the caves are situated in. Some of the caves are so high up, nearly one hundred feet above the ground, where the rock is so unstable it makes it nearly impossible to access them. Even the lightest tap of the axe can cause the rock to chip, sparking a downpour of debris. It is still a mystery as to why these caves are built so out of reach and how ancient settlers even got to them, let alone made them.
As legend has it, there are nine sacred temples hidden throughout the Mustang kingdom, two of which, have been discovered and were dated back to the 14th century. The other seven sacred temples remain a mystery, and are full of ancient treasures waiting to be found. Thus, with the news of the newly revealed caves, we have hope in finding and restoring information crucial to Buddhist tradition. Although some Buddhists emphasize meditation, as the primal endeavor of the devout Buddhist, these findings have the potential to either solidify or radically change our perceptions of Buddhism, in the first place, which is why they are so important to me. I believe texts are essential to the education and furtherance of Buddhist ideology.
Most locals have lost interest in the allure of the caves, in that, they know exactly where the caves are, but do not bother to look inside because most are either inaccessible or have been vandalized and/or looted by scavengers. However, the findings revealed in the successful expeditions of the past, have peeked my interest in their potential to shed new light on an ancient tradition. It is said that stunning paintings and black lime drawings, on thin white plaster, adorn the crumbling walls of the caves; and ancient texts are scattered about. Although no one knows how old they really are, it is speculated that patrons commissioned these artists. Because the artwork and texts are mostly peeled/chipped off, broken up by looters, or buried under fallen debris, it is hard to make speculations based on the remainders. Past expeditions have found butter lamps and hundreds of offerings made of clay containing the ashes of the dead; leading us to believe, that these caves were shrines to commemorate high lamas and teachers like the Buddha. It is believed that these were the traditions of Bon practitioners, who used them as burial sites and storage facilities for precious texts or ‘terms’, which were originally hidden by Padmasambhava for discovery, when humanity needed it the most.
Along with some other villagers that have expressed interest in these hidden treasures, we have created a group that will go on an expedition to these newly exposed caves, in the hopes of reaching and excavating them first, before any other neighboring villages get word — as the news spreads time is precious, this is why we must prepare and leave as soon as possible. When we all got together, we discussed our plan to explore and catalogue the contents of the cave, which we expect to have multiple levels; and came to some conclusions about approaching the entrances by climbing, rather than by decent. At least one ritualist, Simay, will remain at the bottom of the cliff making protection offerings for our safe ascent. There are twelve of us, comprising a wide variety of skills, from builders, to traders, to healers, to artists, and ritualists, not to mention, the only iron trader/worker in the village. For my part, I will employ my secondary skill as a ritualist and will preform ritualistic ceremonies that will give us protection and success for our journey. I will contribute 50 resources and the amulets needed for the departing ceremony. We will need food, provided by farmers (Linda) and traders. We will need climbing equipment, provided by the builders (Alison, Simay) and ironworker (Jibran, or Karim) who will design and build snow shoes, cleats, ice picks, poles, and ropes, necessary for maneuvering the mountains. We will need Medicine, provided by the village doctor, Rory, in case any injuries or sickness occurs. Finally, we will need a detailed maps of the terrain, provided by scholars, and the help of a hunter, Chodak, to guide us with his extensive knowledge of the landscape and hunting.
Our journey to Mustang, will take roughly seven days: the first half of our journey is through lush and forested terrain; whereas, as we get higher up the Himalayan Mountains, for the second part, we will be venturing through the Mustang terrain, which is more treturous, dry, less vegetated. Due to the harsh climate of the Himalayan Mountains during the winter, we will have to be prepared both physically and mentally. Most people do not live in this region during the winter, so we will have to be extra cautious as we will be travelling on foot, not by horse, so carrying food and resources will have to be done on our backs. The climate here can work against you with heavy winds, snowfall, and plunging temperatures, proving difficult to even set up tent. This arid landscape becomes impassable when the snow comes, so we will have to remove excess snow immediately, and proceed with caution. The snow is my biggest worry because due to knee-high drifts, snow-blindess, and freezing temperatures, it makes life that much harder and more dangerous.
