Prayer Flags.

"Wind is the natural element of the horse. As it gallops across the plain the wind arises to meet it, its long tail and mane flowing freely as it speeds through the stillness of the air, creating wind. Both the wind and the horse are natural vehicles of movement, the horse carrying material form and the wind ethereal form. Prayers are carried on the wind, and in Tibet the prayer flag is known as the Windhorse, Lung Ta, in Tibetan."

- from The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs by Robert Beer

Shambhala Press, 1999

I remember going to Swaymbhunath Stupa when small and being fascinated by the long chain of  rainbow colored perfectly shaped rectangles hanging down from a piece of thread. It was just so beautiful and pleasant to watch- as a child and till date. For some people it might just be a colorful Mala and to some just something to decorate the temple with. They are called Prayer Flags, Healing Flags or Peace Flags. 

It has a set of five colored rectangular shaped cloth and are inscribed with auspicious symbols, invocations, prayers, and mantras. The five colors represent the elements and the Five Pure Lights and are arranged from left to right in specific order: blue, white, red, green, and then yellow. Different elements are associated with different colors for specific traditions, purposes and sadhana. Blue symbolizes sky/space, white symbolizes air/wind, red symbolizes fire, green symbolizes water, and yellow symbolizes earth. According to Traditional Tibetan medicine, health and harmony are produced through the balance of the five elements.

And as far as I have heard, it is believed that every time the wind passes through the Flag, the mantras are spread out in open letting the environment be peaceful and wonderful. In fact I brought back all of my friends in India the Prayer Flags and its strange they didn’t know about it. So they just called it the Rainbow colored long- long Mala from Nepal. I have one too in my room. For good spirits and well being along with a great way to pump up the look of the dull old boring room!
Place one in yours too!
Easily available in the Buddhist temple areas or Thamel/ Basantapur!

Source: Wikipedia.
Photos: Kundan Tamrakar/ Nischal Oli.
P.S. The background for my Blog shall remain so for a while from now! :)
Spreading Peace and Prosperity!