In the Himalaya region, prayer wheels and prayer flags are a common sight. Ladakh, Nepal, Sikkim, West Bengal (Darjeeling), Bhutan, or Tibet. I've already written quite a lot about prayer flags [1]. The terms prayer wheels and prayer flags in Eglish (as well as in other languages like German) is misleading as there aren't prayers but rather mantras written on the flags or on slips of paper inside the wheels or drums to be send out into the world. The mantra most used is: Om mani padme hum, which might be translated as Om in the jewel of the lotus. Prayer flags and prayer wheels are used to spread mantras into all pervading space to promote the good will and compassion [2].
Is it very different to Europe? Yes and no. In rural areas you can see crosses being erected after some lucky occasion, but also to remind the passer-by to pray. There is such a field crucifix between the village I am living in (Diefenbach – pop. 70 and still growing) and the next village (Sistig) on a hillcock overlooking a landscape, which might also have attracted Hobbits. Whereas the prayer wheels and prayer flags send mantras into the surrounding world to all living beings, the cross is meant to reach humans only.
There are small, large and very large prayer wheels. The small ones have a handle, which the pilgrims turns. Prayer wheels are cylindrical wheels (Tibetan: འཁོར་ལོ།, Wylie: 'khor lo') on a spindle usually made from metal [4]. The mantra Om mani padme hum (and occasionally others) is written in Ranjana script or Tibetan script on the outside of the wheel. Inside there are many thousands (or in the case of larger prayer wheels even millions) of mantras, which are wrapped around the core of the cylinder. The pilgrim or practitioner usually spins the wheel clockwise, „as the direction in which the mantras are written is that of the movement of the sun across the sky“. Slightly larger prayer wheels as fixed around temples or monasteries, where the pilgrims circle clockwise and turn the wheels; this circumambulation is called kora (Tibetan: སྐོར་ར, Wylie: skor ra). If you visit Buddhist temples in the Himalaya region you should respect this custom; anything you visit, do it clockwise.
The very large prayer wheels (larger than humans) have separate rooms or are in the open under a roof, and can be set in motion by the pilgrims. Often you might see elderly people sitting next to these large prayer and constantly turning them. A bell sounds as soon as one round of the wheel is completed.
And there are prayer wheels, which are not turned by humans but by flowing water, wind, the heat of candles or butter lamps, and nowadays even electric light. The water will be a blessing to all living creatures in the water as well as the ones living in the fields that are watered by this stream.
Someone setting up prayer wheels or prayer flags wants of course to gain positive karma, but there is an altruistic motive as well -: to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom to all living beings.
Links and Annotations:
[1] Prayer Flags in Bhutan (recent blogpost) https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2023/04/pray-flags-in-bhutan.html and Prayer Flags (in Tibet) https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2018/08/prayer-flags.html and Maibaum und Gebetsfahnen (Maypole and prayer flags) Text in German https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2021/05/maibaum-und-gebetsfahnen.html
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_wheel
[3] Feldkruzifix Em Lengsche zwischen Sistig und Diefenbach
[Translation: Field crucifix Em Lengsche between Sistig and Diefenbach
Today we would write something like: “Anno 1694, October 20th, Pastor Meyer [with] Katharina (Katharein), his housewife, together with the honorary cantors of Sistig, had erected this cross to the glory of God and Mary. Amen."]
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2020/08/feldkruzifix-em-lengsche-zwischen.html
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_wheel
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