Many Hindus, Buddhists and people who follow the shamanic religion of Bon undertake a pilgrimage each year to northern Nepal to look for Shaligrams, believed to be a manifestation of Lord Vishnu.
Boddhisatva Avalokiteśvara, considered to be a compassionate protector, is believed to regularly visit Earth.
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Winner of the 1992 Nobel Peace Prize and one of the most recognizable faces of Buddhism, the Dalai Lama has turned 84 and the question of a successor is pressing – and controversial.