I’m posting early because I’m going with Jodi, Andrea, Pam, Chelsea, Nicole, Debbie and Angela to Amritsar for a three day weekend. Monday is a holiday here. Amritsar is where half of Angela’s family is from and she wanted to go see it. The Golden Temple, India’s second most important monument is also there and its close to the Pakistan border where they hold a border closing ceremony every night that’s supposed to be awesome. We’re leaving Friday afternoon and returning Monday night.
...anyway, on to the past few days
The major Buddhist Temple was actually a major Hindu temple. The trip to the Buddhist temple is in a few days. All the Hindu temples are starting to look alike to me. There’s two reasons this temple was special. First, there’s a story about a prince who ran to the site after his kingdom was conquered. He meditated there under a rock and after a few years was given the sword of Shiva (the destroyer god) and with that sword took back the kingdom. The second story is a bit more historical. A few hundred years ago a baba went to the site and mediated under the same rock. He reached enlightenment. In his enlightenment he built a tomb for himself and when it was almost finished had local villagers complete the tomb with him inside. The tomb still exists and is the basis for the temple.
After the temple we had a picnic in the forest. We played various games in a clearing near a stream. I was still a little sick so I sat out most of the activities and just took pictures. At the end we took a group picture.
From Left to right are: Debbie, Elizabeth, Anna, Reese, Chelsea, Angela, Eric, Pam, Andrea, me, Laura, Jodi and Nicole.
Most of us went into the Tibetan area, McLeod Ganj, after the picnic. After about an two hours of shopping and tea we went down to the monastery. This is where the Dali Lama lives. We split up there. Most of the group did a bit more shopping and then quickly toured the temple. Me, Jodi and Pam went into the monastery compound looking the catch a glimpse of the Dali Lama. We just kept walking deeper and deeper in until someone would tell us to stop or a fence would stop us. No one ever said anything to us and we found an open gate in every fence we encountered. We ended up very deep in the compound.
We came upon a grove filled with Tibetan prayer flags, thousands of them. I was soon surrounded in flags not able to see anything but more flags. The cacophony of them flapping in the wind was all encompassing. I lost Jodi and Pam but kept pushing on. I eventually came across a temple and was out the the grove. I looked back and still couldn’t see anyone. I assumed we’d find each other at some point so I kept going. The temple was surrounded by prayer wheels. I dropped down to the base and walked around the perimeter spinning the wheels with the monks in front and behind me. It was kind of hypnotizing, especially hearing the monks chanting.
Just as I finished I saw Jodi and Pam walking down a different path. We reunited and pushed further into the compound. There was just us and lots of monks, none of which had any concern that we were there. Feeling welcomed or at least ignored we were at ease as we walked among them. Soon we came upon the edge of a cliff. We had gone as far as we could.
We stood at precipice of the top of one of the highest mountains in this particular range of the Himalayas. We could see forever and hear everything. We all felt like we were in a movie. Behind us was a home for Elder monks. A few were puttering around a garden. We said hello and they all smiled at us. Two old dogs slept at the edge of the precipice as Eagles flew overhead. The sky was cloudy and growing more so and the wind was gusting in from the valley. The three of us stood silent for a long moment just taking it all in. We looked straight down and found our house. It was cool to realize the we live at the foot of the Dali Lama’s temple.
From the prayer flags to the precipice I had little real world thoughts including taking pictures so as of now there are none. I am going back and then I will take lots of pictures.
We slowly walked back to the more populated areas of the temple and walked into the temple complex. The walls to the complex are filled will political posters either about the Panchen Lama who was abducted by China when he was six years old, or graphic pictures of dead Tibetan protesters. Across from the entrance is a cage filled with hunger protesters. Its a very real place. We went inside the Lama Temple and looked around. I was to awestruck to take pictures, but I’m going back a few times so there will be some later.
I started my second gig, talking to monks helping them with conversational English. I went on Tuesday and I’m going again on Thursday. I found a coffee shop near the place I go to pick up my monk for conversation. Hallelujah! Its not Starbucks or Peet’s but its decent coffee. The caffeine headaches have been huge.
The rest of the week was same old same old. We’re getting a few more kids, there’s a few pictures in this week’s set. You should be able to tell who’s my favorite. Click here for this week’s pictures. See ya next Sunday.
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