Numerous sacred places in Tibet and the Tibetan domain have been confronted with disruptions brought about by internal and external causes. The Halesi-Maratika caves in Eastern Nepal are a sacred place venerated by Hindus as well as by Buddhists from Tibet and various ethnic groups like Rai and Sherpa.
The presentation is based on the fieldwork undertaken by Dr. Buffetrille in 1992-1995 and 2006; it is a fascinating illustration of the transformations a sacred place can undergo in a single decade due to a series of events: the attempts of both Hindus and Buddhists to gain supremacy over the place; the death of the Sherpa sngags pa (tantric priest) and the search for his reincarnation; the growing national and international fame (with local and Western devotees) of the caves; on the political level, the coming and settling of Maoists in this area.