Images from the roof of the world:
The Annapurna Circuit Trek
By Rosemary Nichols Swann May 30, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Lecture
Rosemary Swann
Thu, June 5, 9–11am
Generator Gallery
Fábrica la Aurora

Caption:  Annapurna always looms large in the landscape of Nepal. Photo taken by Edna Winti

My 26-day trek with friends through the Annapurna mountain range in 1999 is continually refreshed in my mind and imagination through the undying creative force of Nepal’s religious and artistic expressions. I find, almost ten years later, that I have been enchanted, so to speak, by this countries powerful art. Prayer flags, prayer wheels, carved mani stone tablets, whitewashed gompas, vividly painted Buddhist and Hindu dieties of plaster, stone, paper mache and bright gold leaf now adorn the interior of my heart and minds eye as well as the landscape of this tiny country. Nepal’s sacred art, simple or complex, renders a discreet potency that eventually gains entry to the viewers consciousness where it remains, eternally spinning, flapping and chanting its prayer forms in unceasing devotion to compassion, peace and the liberation of all creation from the destructive forces of delusion, suffering and rebirth.

It could be that the sheer exhaustion I experienced during the 24 days of climbing Annapurna’s stony paths to mountain passes and descending from lofty heights to cross clear turquoise rivers made me especially susceptible to the prayers of “Om Mani Padme Hum” that seemed to reverberate off of the rock walls and slate rooftops of each town our group passed through.

“Notes about the Trail,” Kalipani Guest House, April 20, 1999

“The trail is usually with two paths, one ascending and the other running below it. The ascending path has a passing lane between the upper and lower paths so that one can pass porters carrying heavy loads. This center path is always steeper than the porters path and has shorter steps to accommodate those that are moving faster but still carrying great weight. These stone steps are placed at closer intervals, six to eight inches as opposed to ten inches. Mule and donkey trains carrying cargoes have the right of way–lookout! Give way towards the inside of the trail, often the outside is a cliff and donkeys can carry wide loads. Another tip: always take any breaks at the inside of the trial it is easy to lose your balance looking up, especially if you are weary. Take water breaks every hour at lower elevations, every ½ hour at higher elevations.”

As my eyes became accustomed to the views I began to see the people of Nepal sustaining the recurring theme of life as prayer in daily activity. Daybreak brought the ritual burning of cedar before puja to clear the air of dark spirits of the night. A busy Nepalese leaned out of a window to see the sunrise and to spin a hand held prayer wheel while brushing his teeth. Every greeting along the path was a sacred act with hands to heart and forehead in Namaste. A gatekeeper in an ancient hilltop monastery opened its doors to us and we sat alone and silent, soaking in the dense atmosphere of talo encrusted walls covered with tempera paintings of Buddha’s and flowers, and the magnificent decorations of luminous pleated satins, thankas, countless statues, ceremonial drums, conch shells, horns and ancient masks that terrified with their expressions. Banks of hand forged copper prayer wheels blessed our entrance into towns and our departures or turned endlessly, powered by the flow of a sacred stream. Strands of praye
r flags, printed by hand with treasured wood blocks popped and waved their prayers into crystal clear air as they bleached in the sun, working with the wind until they exhausted themselves, threadless and bare.

And I suppose that is what the path did to me, it left me exhausted, wind whipped and bare, open to these lovingly maintained forces of divine art that fill Nepal and seize on just such a moment to take hold of one’s body, mind and soul.


“Rest Day at Gurgung,” April 30, 1999

“At 3pm the sun has pretty much gone behind the mountain and people are resting mostly. The water buffalo have started to make deep calls, varying from high to low, long calls.

They really are songs to one another which go on for an hour or so as the sun sets. We are in a lodge that is perched halfway up the mountain face and the wind whips up from below, giving the birds a delightful playground. I have loved watching the birds here. A magnificent hawk soars off the top of the mountain over my head and makes stunning aerial dives that make me want to fly. Ravens circle in mid sky and glide down to harass a chicken coop. A starling bird that lives on the rooftop next to our patio (orange beak, with black eye ring surrounding an orange eye with white flags on her wings) makes trips to the jungle below to bring back caterpillars that she stops to exhibit for my approval before flying to her nest. People are very much out and about this evening. We hear flute music floating up the hillside to us and above us, at the top of a 75' high rock wall, another boy plays his flute. Two girls in pretty saris sit and watch the city below. The donkeys wear triangular multicolored woven carpets on t
heir foreheads with colored yak tail plumes between their ears. An orange full moon is rising over the mountains in front of us, quite lovely.”

Rosemary Swann is an artist living in San Miguel that frequently shows her work at Generator Gallery.