Shaligrams

August 9, 2023

For more than 2,000 years, Hinduism, Buddhism and the shamanic Himalayan religion of Bon have venerated.
These are ancient fossils of ammonites, a type of mollusk, a class of extinct sea creatures related to modern squids.
Originating from a single remote region in northern Nepal — the Kali Gandaki River Valley of Mustang — Shaligram stones are viewed primarily as manifestations of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Because they are not human-made, but created by the landscape, they are believed to have an intrinsic consciousness of their own.
As a result, Shaligrams are kept in homes and in temples, where they are treated as both living gods and active community members.
However, climate change and gravel mining are altering the course of the river, which is making it harder to find Shaligrams.