Khata

Overview

A khata (ཁ་བཏགས) is a ceremonial scarf used throughout the Himalayan world, viewed as a symbol of respect, gratitude, and pure motives. What happens when a sacred object, like the khata, becomes ubiquitous? Today, the most common raw material for the khata is polyester, and many discarded khata can be found in rivers and lakes. This ethnographic documentary film explores the paradoxical relationship between the meaning of khata and its materiality, with the aim of raising awareness of the unintended consequences of our good intentions.