Bhanjyang -- pass

Bhatti -- tea stalls found along the trekking trails

Chautaara -- rock walls built as resting places for porters and sherpa. These walls can usually be found near a banyan tree.

Chomolungma -- Sherpa name for Mt. Everest. Chomolungma's resident goddess is Miyo Lungsangma. She is the mother goddess of the earth. According to a religious story, five daughters of father Lhola Tebu and mother Menthang had five daughters: Tashi Tseringma, the main one who resides on Gauri Shanker, gives long life; Miyo Lungsangma gives food; Tekar Dosangma gives good fortune; Chopen Dinsangma gives wealth and Thingi Shelsangma gives telepathic powers.

Col (or la) -- high mountain pass

Crevasse -- deep fissure in snow or ice usually found in glaciers. Climbers rope-up together and walk far apart in case one drops into a hidden crevasse, others on the rope may be able to stop the fall.

Cwm (koom) -- welsh term for a cirque. The high, glaciated, southwest valley encircled by Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse was named the Western Cwm by George Mallory on a 1920 British Expedition.

Danda -- ridge

Deurali -- pass on a ridge

Dharmsala -- pilgrim's rest house

Drangka -- stream

Dzo -- male crossbreed between a yak and a cow

GPS -- Global Positioning System; a device that calculates opposition and elevation by reading and decoding signals from satellites

Himal -- snow mountain

Kaani -- an arch over a trail, usually decorated with paintings

Kang --mountain

Khola (or kosi) -- river

Kuhmbu -- region near Mount Everest. The Khumbu glacier runs down and below the southwest side of Everest. [Click here to see a Map]

Kund -- holy lake

Lekh -- hill, or foothill ridge

Lho -- south

Maati baato -- upper trail

Nak -- female yak

Nup -- west

Parbat -- mountain

Phedi -- literally 'the place at the foot of the hill'

Pokhari (or tal) -- lake

Ri -- peak

Sagarmatha -- Nepalese name for Mt. Everest. "Churning stick in the sea of existence." Tibetan, Nepalese and Sherpa mythologies believe this mountain was the first land mass to rise from the sea.

Shar -- east

Sherpa -- "People from the East." Both a tribal group and a job description of porter, climber or trek leader. Sherpas have been crucial to the success of most western expeditions to Everest. (Click here to learn more about Sherpas and their culture.)

Sherpani -- female Sherpa. In 1993, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa was the first Sherpani to ever summit Mt. Everest. Through her, fame and pride shone on the Sherpa people.

Sirdar -- man in charge of trek crew

Ukaalo -- steep uphill

Yak -- animals used to help carry loads in high altitude regions. On an Everest expedition, each yak carries 140 pound of supplies.

Yeti -- the abominable snowman living amidst the Himalayas. Yetis can be found populating many contemporary tankas.

Buddhism -- one of the principal religions of eastern and central Asia which stems from the teachings of Gautama Buddha. Its tenets hold that suffering is inherent to life and only through purification of the self can one hope to diminish the degree of life's suffering.

Dharma -- good karma or actions used to generate good karma.

Gompa -- a Buddhist temple. Gompas are found all over the Nepal countryside.

Guru Rinpoche -- founder of Tibetan Buddhism 1250 years ago.

Jutho -- ritual pollution. Once you have eaten food from a plate it is jutho and no one may eat the remaining food. A dead body is considered to contain jutho and may not be touched by a Sherpa.

Karma -- spiritual force generated by a person's actions

Kata -- white scarf presented as a sign of honor. These may be blessed and become sacred relics.

Lama -- Tibetan Buddhist teacher or priest

Mani Rimdu -- One of the holiest festivals for the Sherpa, Mani Rimdu celebrates the completion of ten days of prayers for the benefit of all beings dedicated to Pawa Cherenzig, the god of compassion. Marked by dances from all over the region, the festival dancers wear various masks which depict different gods. The Sherpa believe that for each god, there are different forms of worship, chants or movements that help bring that god closer to the dancer and eventually become a part of him which is considered to benefit all people. Some believe that prayers, deep thinking, or meditation can be done to achieve the same harmony and make people more peaceful.

Mani wall -- stone wall carved with Buddhist mantras

Mantra -- religious incantation

Miyo Lungsangma -- goddess of humans residing on Mt. Everest

Prayer Flag -- long strips of colored cloth printed with prayers that are "said" whenever the flag flaps in the wind. Prayer flags are located along the trekking and climbing routes and are used by the Sherpa to decorate and bless their homes, school, gompas, etc.

Puja (pooja) -- prayers offered. It is also the act of praying or chanting and offering gifts to the gods. Before any climb of Mt. Everest a large puja is performed asking the gods for protection and permission to climb within their heights. The puja will last several hours and each member will smear a little tso on their face in respect.

Rinpoche -- reincarnate lama. title for high lamas and reincarnates, "precious one".

Stupa -- a Buddhist shrine

Tanka -- embroidered or painted elaborately colored wall hanging. Usually tankas depict scenes from the life of the deities. They are magnificently ornate and rich with symbolism.

Trisul -- trident symbol of follower's of Shiva

Tso -- offerings made of cooked rice. May be smeared across the forehead and on the face and neck as a symbol of respect and homage to the gods.