Chasing demons away in Nepal
Buddhist monks pray while performing a ceremony in the former King's palace during the Tenchi Festival.
The Tenchi Festival takes place annually in Lo Manthang, the capital of Upper Mustang and the former Tibetan Kingdom of Lo.
Each spring, monks perform ceremonies, rites, and dances during the Tenchi Festival to dispel evils and demons from the former kingdom.
All pictures taken from May 24th to May 27th, 2014.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Elaborately dressed monks prepare to perform ceremonies in the main square during the Tenchi Festival.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Monks set up dungchen, Tibetan ritual horns, on a monastery rooftop at the end of a ceremony.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Elaborately dressed monks prepare to perform ceremonial dances in the main square .
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Monks perform a ceremony in the former King's palace.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Elaborately dressed monks costumed as wrathful guardian spirits perform ceremonial dances.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Monks costumed as wrathful guardian spirits perform ceremonial dances.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Buddhist monks play gyaling, traditional Tibetan horns.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
A young monk holds a ceremonial sword for a dancer before a ritual.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Young monks perform a ceremonial dance with nga, Tibetan drums, during the Tenchi Festival.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Elaborately dressed monks perform ceremonial dances.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Monks perform ceremonial dances costumed as animals.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Jigme Palbar Bista, the former King of Lo, watches monks perform ceremonial dances.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Monks costumed as dogs prepare to perform ceremonial dances.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
A young monk plays a gyaling, a traditional Tibetan horn.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Loba men, women, and children are blessed as they walk under an enormous thangka.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Elaborately dressed monks perform dances.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
The tsowo, lead monk during the festival, descends the stairs of the former King's palace before a ceremonial dance.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
The linga, representative of evil spirits, is displayed in the square before monks come to battle the spirits in a ceremonial ritual.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Monks walk from the Choede Monastery to the city's main square.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Traditionally dressed representatives of Upper Mustang's villages fire antique guns to chase demons from the city.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Monks perform ceremonial dances outside of the city gates.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Monks play gyaling and dungchen, Tibetan ritual instruments, from a monastery rooftop at the end of a ceremony.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
The tsowo, or lead monk during the Tenchi ceremonies, performs ceremonial dances outside of the city gates.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Monks chant and play music during the final day of ceremonies.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
The tsowo, or lead monk, performs dances during the final day.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Monks play music and perform Buddhist ceremonies outside of the city gates.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Traditionally dressed representatives of Upper Mustang's villages gather before firing antique guns to chase demons from the city.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
A young monk plays a drum during the final day of ceremonies.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Monks return to the city after performing ceremonies in a nearby field.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
A traditionally dressed representative of one of Upper Mustang's villages fires an antique gun to chase demons.
Lo Manthang, Nepal
Traditionally dressed representatives of Upper Mustang's villages fire antique guns to chase demons from the city during the Tenchi Festival.