Buddhist Ceremony at Everest Basecamp Remembers 16 Sherpas Killed by Avalanche

A Buddhist ceremony, or puja, was held at Everest basecamp on April 23 in memory of 16 Nepalese guides who died in a devastating avalanche on April 18. “How we wish we could go back to last Friday and change the nightmares everyone woke up to that dawn,” writes mountaineer Wasfia Nazreen, who filmed the ceremony.The site of the avalanche between base camp and Camp I, has been mostly untouched since April 18, Nazreen says. Guides abandoned this year’s climbing season to honour colleagues lost in the tragedy.
Puja was held for the deceased Mingma Nuru Sherpa, Dorji Sherpa, Ang Tshiri Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Phurba Ongyal Sherpa, Lakpa Tenjing Sherpa, Chhiring Ongchu Sherpa, Dorjee Khatri, Then Dorjee Sherpa, Phur Temba Sherpa, Pasang Karma Sherpa and Asman Tamang. Prayers were also said for the missing: Tenzing Chottar Sherpa, Ankaji Sherpa, Pem Tenji Sherpa and Ash Bahadur Gurung. Credit: Facebook/Wasfia Nazreen