Buddhism in Khumbu Buddhism is believed to have been introduced in the Khumbu region towards the end of the 17th century by Lama Sange Dorjee, the fifth incarnate of the Rongphu Monastery, also called the Rongbuk Monastery, in Tibet. According to the legend, he flew over the Himalayas and landed on a rock at Pangboche and Thyangboche, leaving his footprints embedded on the stone. He is thought to have been responsible for the founding of the first gompas (monasteries) in the Khumbu region, at Pangboche and Thami. The gompas at Thyangboche and Namche Bazar were established at a later date.

Ama Dablam, the most distinctive mountain in the Everest region, is named for its resemblance to a mother with outstretched arms. Credit: Scott Yost

The Thyangboche and Thami monasteries are offshoots of the Rongphu Monastery of the Nyingpa sect. Every year, normally during full moon in November-December, there is a monastic festival complete with masks, costumes and ritualistic dances to celebrate the triumph of Buddhism over Bon, the ancient animistic religion of Tibet.