HEMIS: THE MONASTERY INSPIRED BY A VULTURE'S NESTHis muse was a vulture's nest. In the 13th century, Buddhist sage Gyalwa Gotsangpa (his name means 'vulture' Got 'nest' Tsang) zeroed in on a lofty, secluded, secure location for Hemis Gompa, now Ladakh's most secure location for Hemis Gompa, now Ladakh's most revered monastery. Nestled amid towering mountains, it assured its monks of uninterrupted solitude.

Hemis, as seen today, was founded in the 1630s by Kushok Shambhu Nath (the first Stagsang Respa) under King Sengye Namgyal's patronage. After 1730, Stagsang's third incarnation, Gyalsey Rinpoche added shrines, stupas, scriptures and mushrines, stupas, scriptures and murals. He also founded the Hemis Festival.

Hemis may not look as imposing as the multi-storeyed Thiksey and Chemde gompas but the surrounding mountains give it an air of dignity. It is the headquarters of Buddhism's Drukpa lineage, which most Ladakhis follow.

Ladakh's largest monasterLadakh's largest monastery, Hemis has over 500 resident lamas, aged five to 80 years. With land endowments going back centuries, Hemis could well be the region's richest landlord after the government. The royal family's head is still its chief patron, though he longer contributes much. Hemis is quite influential in the region in many ways; non-Ladakhis cannot buy properproperty in Ladakh without approval from Hemis.

Even religion needs resources and power to flourish.

Views of the impressive

and picturesque setting of the

Chemde Monastery

CHEMDE: STORM IN A MONGOL TEA CUPMany monasteries in Ladakh were plundered by invaders over the centuries. The one at Chemde, or Chemrey, stayed safe. How? A tale worth telling.safe. How? A tale worth telling.

Seems the Mongols laid siege on Chemde in the late 17th century. Being outnumbered didn't stop the head lama from outsmarting the outsiders. From afar, he shot the Mongol king's tea cup with a rifle. Stunned, the king thought Goddess Goddess Kali ruled over the gompa and he made peace with the monks. A temple to Kali stands at the base of the hill on which Chemde nestles.

Stagsang Respa founded this impressive gompa, Hemis' most important branch. King Sengye Namgyal asked him to mamake gompas at Leh, Basgo and Chemde after Hemis but he refused to make one at Basgo (already had one) or Leh (too crowded, too noisy). Gompas are places of solitude, of meditational retreats, and Chemde was suitable.

While at the gompa, don't miss its museum. On display are dresses worn by Mongol and Ladakhi rulers, weapons their armies used, cooking utensils, holy symbols, seals, monearmies used, cooking utensils, holy symbols, seals, money, storage bags and texts belonging to royalty and monks. It is one of the rare monastery museums where you can take photographs.

A walk-through Chemde monastery. Not only do you get to see images from Buddhism in the temples, but displays in the well curated museum. Exhibits include religious symbols and images, utensils, coins, and even weapons used for self-defence at one

time.

TAKTHOK: SEEKING SACRED WATER IN A CAVEWhy did so many gompas start out as caves? Tak-Thok (also Thag-Thok, literally ‘rock roof’) gompa came up around a cave where Padmasambhava, or the Guru Rinpoche, is said to have meditated during his travels to Ladakh in the 8th centurto Ladakh in the 8th century.

The cave, called Duphug (or Tu-Phuk) Lhakhang, is a popular pilgrimage. Buddhists visit to be blessed by dubchu, the sacred water that oozes from its ceiling. A constant drip. Even in winter, when the world freezes over. The ceiling is a greasy black with emissions from the butter lamps that burn nonstop. Devotees have stuck offerings of banknotes and coins all stuck offerings of banknotes and coins all over. Gold-plated statues of Padmasambhava's eight manifestations enjoy pride of place.

Tak-Thok comes under the Nyingma lineage founded by Padmasambhava, also called the red hat sect going by the colour of the headgear its followers sport. Tak-Thok's lamas are sought after as they have developed texts to texts to ward off evil spirits, epidemics and curses. They perform birth and death rites, recite prayers for longevity and wealth, and even make astrological predictions.

All this expertise has been developed over time to supplement the monastery's income. Sacred water alone doesn't pay the bills!

MATHO:THE MONASTERY THAT WENT TO BATTLESerene monasteries. Savage histories. It’s possible.

When the armies of Balti king Ali Sher Khan vanquished Ladakhi king

Jamiang Namgyal in end-16th century, several monasteries were

desecrated. Matho was one of them. Its scriptures and art treasures were

pillaged. The head lama, pillaged. The head lama, Tungpa Kunga Gyaltsan, was killed. Matho's

residents put up stiff resistance though, and were rewarded with land

grants later when their king was released. The monastery was restored by

Chhos-kyi Lotos, who took charge as its head.

The only Sakya sect gompa in Ladakh, Matho was founded in 1410 by

Dorje Palzang, a Tibetan pilgrim. He saw a deer lying on a stone,

perceived it as a sign connecting the spot to the Sarnath Deer Park near

VVaranasi where the Buddha preached his first sermon and chose a nearby

cave to meditate in. Recognising his saintliness, Ladakhi king Dragpa

Bumlde granted him the land and also funded the building of the

monastery.

Matho now has 35 lamas and its own school for young initiates. The village

around it is a green oasis with a 55 km long stream running through.

Locals revere it. They use its water only for drinking, never for bathing or

wwashing.

Attend the annual Nagrang Festival in below freezing February or March if you want to see the famed Oracles of Matho. They are two

lamas from Matho, possessed by the spirits of the brothers Rongtsan Kar and Mar, but only during the festival. Known for their protective

powers, these brothers came from Tibet with Matho’s founder, Dorje Palzang. In a trance, they perform stunning acts. They run along

walls and rooftops without falling off. They cut their mouths and hands with sharp knives, bleeding profusely and yet their wounds heal in

a day. They walk about in masks without eyeholes, seeing through the angry eyes of deities painted on their torsos.

THIKSEY

Views of the Thiksey

monastery. It has a stunning setting, and is made on

mmultiple levels on a hill.

THIKSEY:Don’t miss the morning prayers here‘Females visitors will in no case allowed overnight stay in

the monastery and in the private cells of the monks.’

PretPretty no-nonsense, even if full of errors That's one of the

many notices at Thiksey gompa, home to over 100 lamas

aged 5 to 80. It was built in the 16th century by the Indus,

fulfilling Je Tsongkhapa's prophesy: "On the right bank of

the river Sindh my teachings will flourish." His disciple

Sherab Zangpo built the first temple, Tsulkhrim

Namthagling.

Thiksey eThiksey evolved around a central courtyard, with multi-level

buildings on three sides. The dukhang (assembly hall) has

racks upon racks of religious texts. The gonkhang (temple

of the guardian deities) has images of fierce deities. A

three-storey statue of Maitreya dominates the chamkhang,

daunting yet welcoming at the same time. The library is up

a few flights of stairs, next to the lhakhang (main shrine)

where women are not allowed and a museum where where women are not allowed and a museum where

photography is prohibited. At the gompa's entrance is

another sign: ‘You will find prayer wheels all around the

monastery, so we suggest you spin it in a clockwise. If you

do so as said then it would be very beneficial.’

Navigate Thiksey for an hour every day and all the walking

across several levels would do you a world of good too!

A walk inside the Thiksey Monastery near Leh in Ladakh. You will see wall paintings, images of the Buddha, and holy texts going back centuries here.

The morning prayers at

Thiksey are a must-attend.

While the senior lamas are

all concentration, the

lama boys show that boys

will be boys.

The morning prayers at Thiksey

The morning prayers at Thiksey

JUST WHAT ARE THOSE YOUNG LAMAS UP TO?Don't miss the morning prayer at Thiksey. Hundreds of

monks chanting in tandem for two hours. It's really

something else.

The senior lamas are all concentration. Some recite from

memormemory, others from texts. One's never sure, of course,

if the really old ones just close their eyes or doze off.

Moving around the hall with my camera, as unobtrusively

as possible, I expected disapproving looks. But the lamas'

smiles put me at ease.

The 30-odd young lamas, all under 10, were another

breed. They tried to look studious but ended up fidgeting.

Some eSome exchanged meaningful grins, perhaps about truant

lamas? Some poked their neighbours. Some looked plain

bored. Whenever they got a chance, they rushed to serve

butter tea to the senior lamas.

A few posed for my camera. And wanted to see their

pictures on the screen. All this while, they'd keep one eye

out for the senior lama wielding the bamboo rod. No one

wwants a whack. I played it safe too, not engaging the

boys too much.

As soon as the session ended, the boys tumbled out.

Their seniors started a heated debate in Ladakhi. Wish an

interpreter were handy!

A view from atop the Stakna monastery. Notice the greenery along one bank of theIndus river, and dand desert on the other.

STAKNA:THE GOMPA ATOP A TIGER HILL FROM ANOTHER TIMEGaze at the hill atop which Stakna

gompa is built and gompa is built and you'll see it looks

like a tiger leaping into the sky. That's

why it's called Stakna or 'tiger's nose.'

Though it owes allegiance to the

Drukpa lineage, Stakna apparently

pre-dates Hemis, the headquarters of

the sect. The dates of its founding are

fuzzy though. In 1990, its 372nd fuzzy though. In 1990, its 372nd

anniversary was celebrated, implying

that it was built in 1618. Lama Tashi

Tenphel mentions it was established in

the fire female snake year of the 17th

sexantry (60-year cycle), which means

it is 500 years old. Since the dates

aren't cleaaren't clear, it's tough to decide who

built it. Credit is usually given to a 16th century Bhutanese sage, Jamyang Padkhar.

Stakna is a modest monastery, much smaller inside than most others. Some of its relics are worth a visit though. There's a stunning

turquoise-studded silver chorten and a marble statue of Avalokitesvara brought from Assam. A small museum displays arms,

adornments for horses used in sport, transport and battle, metal utensils and porcelain crockery. The chamber behind the altar has

murals but they suffer from a common problem - soot has nearly obscured them.

Can rituals evolve to preserve religion?

SHANTI STUPA:HERE'S LOOKING AT A NEW-AGE STUPALadakh is dotted with structures dating back centuries.

And those built in the past few decades look out of place.

Not the Shanti Stupa though.

That's because of its setting and design. Built in 1985 That's because of its setting and design. Built in 1985 by

The Japanese for World Peace, a Buddhist organisation, it

rises above a hill beyond Leh's Changspa area. It's best

visited at sunrise or sunset. You can see the town, the

entire valley spread out in front, with peaks like Stok

Kangri on all sides. The peaks, the valleys, the skies

assume varying identities with the changing hues of dawn

and dusk. Here, and dusk. Here, you hear the sounds of silence. You can

meditate. Or just be with yourself. No horns blare, no

diesel fumes choke your senses.

In the mornings, don't be surprised to be the only one

around, even though you're sure to have company in the

evenings - that of other travellers. Or even teenage boys

playing soccer. Like I encountered. All was fun till the ball

rolled down the hill; fortunately the sun's dying rolled down the hill; fortunately the sun's dying rays lit up

the ball's path so the boys could retrieve it.

Wonder why the lamas didn't tick them off for disturbing

the sacred peace?The Shanti S

tupa

A view of the TsemoMonastery in the setting

sun from the Shanti Stupa

A view of Leh townfrom the Shanti Stupa

The Phiyang Gompa (monastery) near Leh

The Phiyang Gompa (monastery) near Leh

The Phiyang Gompa (monastery) near Leh

Chortens around the Phiyang Gompa

WOULD I LIKE TO BECOME A BUDDHIST MONK?Look at my picture in this book. What do

you see? A Buddhist monk? Is that what I

should hshould have been instead of a writer?

Why do lamas invite me to be one of

them? A senior lama popped the question

in Phiyang gompa. Was he joking?

Perhaps, because all the other lamas

started laughing. Could I still join, this

late in life? Sure, no problem. But I'm

married. married. You could always revert to

bachelorhood. And your wife can become

a nun. This was getting complicated. At

Hemis, even younger lamas invited me to

join them, laughing even more heartily.

Why did they want me anyway? Because

monasteries are short of monks. Traditionally, a family would send its youngest son to become a

monk but emonk but evolving lifestyles and smaller families have curtailed the custom. Food, shelter and education that were once incentives for

people are no longer so.

I looked at myself in a mirror. The lines on my brow don't spell lama in any language.

The lama at Phiyang asking if I would like to adopt

monkhood

A 23 metre high image of Maitreya Buddha at Likir monastery

LIKIRBLESSED BY THE SNAKE KINGLikir gompa stands atop a hill that's

shaped like a coiled snake. Or so it

seems to belieseems to believers. The word Likir itself

is derived from lukhgil (or klu-khil)

meaning 'coiled snake.' Buddhists

believe the snake king Jokpo slept here

once and that the site is encircled by

the spirits of two great snakes, Nanda

and Taksako.

The gompa dates back to 1065 AThe gompa dates back to 1065 AD,

when King Lhachen Gyalpo offered the

land to Lama Duwang Chosje. Later, in

the 15th century, Lama Lhawang Lhotos

established the Gelug-pa order here,

bringing Likir into its fold. This sect had been founded by his master Je Tsongkhapa, regarded by many as the second Buddha. With

over 100 monks in residence, Likir is among Ladakh's most active, influential and richest gompas.

A major attA major attraction is the recently installed 23 m high statue of Maitreya, seated on a pedestal in the open. The main dukhang contains

a set of Kangyur and Tanjur texts while a smaller one houses an 11-headed statue of Avalokitesvara. The gompa has a fine collection

of thangkas in its museum. The largest, depicting Je Tsongkhapa, is put on display only during the gompa’s annual festival.

The Likir

monaste

ry

Views of the Alchi monastery

Views of the Alchi monastery

ALCHINO LESS THAN AN ART MUSEUM

Alchi gompa is one of the rare ones not located atop a hill. It sits pretty in a bustling bazaar, amid curio shops, hotels and the ubiquitous German bakery.

Alchi is also one of Ladakh's oldest surviving monasteries, though the date of its establishment is disputed. A sign outside the monastery credits it to Rinchen

ZZangpo, the Great Translator who rendered many Buddhist texts into Tibetan and revived Buddhism in Tibet and Ladakh in the 11th century. He's said to have built Alchi between 1020 AD and 1035 AD. Another source attributes it to his disciples,

Lodan Shorab and Tsulkhrim Od.

The gompa complex is dotted with temples and chortens, and some of Ladakh’s most beautiful murals and carvings. Photography is prohibited. The Sumstek ('three-tiered'; apt for its architecture) temple has a finely carved doorway in KKashmiri style. Its central space has a large chorten, surrounded by alcoves

housing images of Avalokitesvara, Maitreya and Manjushri. The noteworthy murals are those of Prajnaparamita ('Goddess of the Perfection of Wisdom') and the royal

family.

The dukhang has a central image of Vairocana, flanked by the other four Dhyani Buddhas, cosmic representations of Buddhahood radiating from an absolute centre

out into the cardinal directions. The walls bear some of the finest painting ddepicting the families of the five Buddhas.

Tibetan handicrafts on sale in Alchi village

A sign at Alchi Gompa

A sign in Alchi village

LAMAYURUA GOMPA NAMED FOR SWASTIKA-SHAPED

BARLEY PLANTSAs you descend the winding road from Fotu la, the highest motorable point between Srinagar and Leh at 4,108 metres (13,479 feet), you come upon a most beautifully located monastery. Lamayuru gompa stands splendid amid green fields, mudhouses

and and lofty peaks.

Legend has it that Buddha's disciple Madhyantika offered torma ('sacred food and water') to appease the spirits haunting the site. Some grain spilled to the ground,

sprouting into barley plants shaped like a yun-drung ('swastika'). Yun-Drung is hence Lamayuru's proper name.

Naropa, the great yogi, meditated in a cave that's now part of Lamayuru. The monastery's oldest section, the Sengge-Sgang, dates back to the great translator RinRinchen Zangpo's active period in the 11th century. Since then, the monastery has continually expanded; today, it's one of the largest with over 200 resident lamas.

Ideally, you should visit Lamayuru on a full moon night. A little way off are craters like those on the moon. A lake existed here in the past. It makes for a spectacular sight when lit by the full moon. Just pray it isn't cloudy when you make the trip.

Views of the Karsha Monastery - the setting does not get better than this

More views of the Karsha Monastery

A view from

atop the Karsha

monastery

KARSHAA MONASTERY OF SCHOLARSHow do you call 120 lamas to lunch? Blow a conch from the rooftop. There's no other way to round them up at Karsha monastery near Padum with its multiple floors and labyrinth of rooms and passages one could get lost in.rooms and passages one could get lost in.

Buddhist master Zanskar Lotsawa Phakpa Sherab built Karsha in the 11th century, when introducing Buddhism to the valley. Its 30 buildings, constructed cascade-style along a hill face, came up gradually over the centuries. Other masters like Tungpa Gyaltsa Pa, Thapuwa Dhamcheu Gyaltsen and Dupkhang Guelek Gyatso consolidated Karsha as a hub of Buddhist studies.When the When the Panchen Lama couldn't visit Tibet's Amdo and Kham regions to share his teachings, he deputed his brightest followers. The ones who made the greatest impression on people came from Karsha and were called alaks ('precious lamas'). To ensure their good fortune of getting such teachers, Karsha's villagers offered them precious gifts. Many of these gifts are still in Karsha, though not well maintained. Some NGOs are raising funds to preserve and display them appropriatelappropriately.

A Frenchwoman was painting gold leaves on a door to be installed in the monastery. She said visitors are usually invited to join in for lunch. No one asked me though. Would've been interesting.

Young lamas at Karsha monastery love to be photographed - and will even come to blows when jostling to fit into the frame. Tsk, Tsk, their Buddhist Masters are still to teach them about the non-violent

way of living.

Young lamas at Karsha

Young lamas at Karsha

BOYS WILL BE BOYSYoung lamas at Karsha monastery are more than willing to get photographed. They even throw in some entertainment while the photographer is on the job.

They all have sober expressions to begin with. After all, they are men of religion in the making. They can't hold they are men of religion in the making. They can't hold this sobriety for too long though. They smile, grin, snort, pucker their lips, suck in their cheeks, blow out, widen their eyes, put out their tongues. Some give bear hugs to others or pull each other's ears or indulge in friendly banter. In small groups, they sit around on the steps, as if following a choreographer's cue.

A bit of jostling follows, as some try to push others out of the A bit of jostling follows, as some try to push others out of the camera's frame. A couple of fights add to the show. The tallest of them was trying his best to get into every snap. He would even pull the faces of some smaller boys close to his and make air kissing gestures. Oops! I decided not to read anything into this.

When I was done, a European woman took out her camera. And the bhe boys got into the act all over again. Boys will be boys.

WHEN DID BUDDHISM REACH LADAKH?An imposing statue of Maitreya, the future Buddha, appears quite suddenly at Mulbeck, about 45 kms (28 miles) out of Kargil towards Leh. It's conspicuous because there's no other Buddhist structure as far as you can see. It's a stunnecan see. It's a stunner.

Carved into a rock face, the image depicts Maitreya with four hands, two pointing towards the sky and two down at earth. This is perhaps the earliest evidence of Ladakh's tryst with Buddhism. Did Ashoka play Cupid in Ladakh's romance with Buddhism around 200 BC? Opinions are abundant. Some do believe that the first Buddhist temple came up in Suru came up in Suru valley near Kargil during Ashoka's rule. Remains of chortens in Suru, Sumda and lower Ladakh are also said to date back to his era. Officially, the religion came in when Kushan king Kanishka annexed Ladakh and Baltistan in the 2nd century AD.

The Maitreya statue, called Chamba by locals, may have come up in this period. Or some centuries later. A board at the site (itself dating back to 1974) erroneously mentions the site (itself dating back to 1974) erroneously mentions the date as 1st century BC. Rigzen, the resident lama, isn't too sure.

The past of this future Buddha is not very clear.

Conversing with His Holiness the Twelfth Gyalwang DrukpaIf I see it as a sign, then the unexpected opportunity to interview His Holiness the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa while writing this book was an auspicious one. As he put it, we were karma-auspicious one. As he put it, we were karma-bound to connect. Here are excerpts from my conversations with the head of the 800-year-old Drukpa lineage.

The work of the Drukpa lineage is better known than the lineage itself. How is that? Drukpas, the followers of this lineage, hDrukpas, the followers of this lineage, have always worked away from the media's attention, practising the principle of 'Live to Love.' They dedicate their time and efforts only for others; theirs is not a selfish way of life. Our lineage thus doesn't have the chance to get very well known. You know Hemis but you don't know Drukpa! (laughs) You know the brand, not the mother company.

The people of Ladakh see a whole new world through the eyes of the media and tourists, a world far removed from their values, culture and traditions. How do they reconcile with this?

I know this is a problem and the root cause is lack of education. Modern education often makes you look at the world in an unbalanced in an unbalanced way. Through our model schools like the Druk White Lotus School, we try to impart a mix of modern and traditional education. We teach students the values of their lineage to show how they can lead peaceful, happy and professionally successful lives in the Himalayan regions without moving to big cities. I boost my followers' confidence by telling them that they lead great lifestyles, and should not get swayed by external influences.

Hill people also seem to be rather innocent and trusting. I remember a four-year-old boy asking me—a complete stranger—for a lift.

(laughs) That's the kind of peace they still have. In a way, it's naive for a child to seek a lift like this. But these people have a certain confidence, which is a reflection on the values of the lineage and its spiritual pspiritual practices. As the leader of the lineage, it is my responsibility to preserve and protect this profound ethos still found in the people of Ladakh, Zanskar and Lahaul-Spiti.

Can one lead a life of peace even when pursuing material needs in a fiercely competitive world?

What one 'needs' to be happy and what one 'wants' to be happy are two very different things. It's all about the ultimate truth and relatirelative truth. Your prayers have to be all about the ultimate truth while the practice of relative truth stays in your mind. If the world is competitive, go out and compete for the sake of your family. But don't harm anyone in the process. People must learn to live harmoniously.

We all have something very valuable called life and that life has to be respected and appreciated. We have the mountain life, you have the cithe city life, others have other lives. We must realise that all these lives are very beautiful. Once we do that, then the whole world would be peaceful and harmonious. Right now, we are all very greedy and aggressive. My property is not yours. Your property is not mine. We create barriers. Even if you are a couple, you aren't truly a couple. We put up barriers in the name of religion, sect, culture...it isn't good. Ultimate truth or spirituality is everything.

Environmental degradation in the Himalayas is a vital concern for you personally. How is the lineage curbing it?

It all comes back to education. Because modern education is not balanced, people see big, modern buildings in the cities and wonder wcities and wonder why those can't be built in their hill towns! Those cities are full of diesel and other fumes, so why not here? Who cares about polluting water? They use plastic, without a worry about its effects. No one wants to recycle. Who cares about how their own children and grandchildren will suffer? The lineage is trying to generate awareness and sensitivity about the eenvironment, with help from local non-government organisations. During our recent padyatra (a walk on foot with his followers from Manali to Hemis in 2009) we not only carried all our waste with us but the monks went down the slopes to collect about 60,000 pieces of rubbish left by travellers. When locals see initiatives like these, they realise the value of keeping their eenvironment clean.

LEARNING TO LIVE TO LOVEFor 800 years, the Drukpa lineage has been the most popular Buddhist sect. But now, it's tit's transcending its traditional role. It's engaging with society. It's teaching people to ‘Live to Love.’ Their spiritual leader, His Holiness the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa, says: "Tibetan Buddhist masters have been perceived as a closed communia closed community, removed from communal happenings. However, we don't live in this world on our own. Our religious practices require us to interact with others, regardless of faiths, nationalities and cultural backgrounds. We live to love, not to hate. It's time to extend this energy of love to everyone. LiLive to love isn't a new idea. Many Mahayana masters practise it. The Catholics are noted for it. With our existing resources, we can start work on providing education, setting up healthcare centres, extending relief to those affected by man-made or natural disasters, preserving our spiritual and cultural heritage and conserving the environment.”

Can they do all this? Will faith and love prove to be a powerful combination?

The Naropa Palace

A holy image inside the

Naropa Palace

A prayer drum at

Naropa Palace

Nuns praying

in

the evening

in

Naropa Palac

e

WHERE NUNS RUN THE SHOWIt's rare to see nuns conduct prayers in a Buddhist set-up. At Shey's Naropa Palace, you'll see it.

About 50 nuns live in and manage the palace built just before the Ornaments of Naropa ceremony in 2004. This event, held every 12 years, was till then celebrated at Hemis but the need for a larger venue prompted the shift.

LLord Naropa, great scholar and chancellor of Nalanda University, gave six ornaments to his disciple Marpa Choekyi Dorje, who bequeathed them to his disciple Ngok Toen Choeku Dorje (1036-1102 AD) and prophesied that they would stay in the Ngok lineage for seven generations. Indeed, the seventh Ngok transferred them, with Ngok teachings, to the second Gyalwang Drukpa. Since then, the Drukpa spiritual heads have guarded them, and they make rare public appearances wearing them.

The nuns pray at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Listening to them recite prayers in perfect ssynchronisation to the damru's beat is an uplifting experience. There were only seven nuns when I went; the rest were away to Kargil.Unlike with monks, it's not easy chatting up the nuns. They are either shy or giggly. But do make an effort to talk to them. You won't get too many opportunities.

Students at the Druk White Lotus School in Shey near

Leh

The pictureseq

ue

setting of the

Druk White Lot

us

School

Notices in a classroom in the Druk White Lotus School

THEY STILL MAKE SCHOOLS LIKE THESE...Imagine a school where you're taught how to succeed in the modern world but not at the expense of your traditions, your rooting. Where you learn to cherish your environment. Where your buildings soak in solar energy instead of expending electricity. You recycle waste, you plant thousands of trees.

Just such a model school is Druk White Lotus School in Shey's Naropa Palace ccomplex. It was established by the Drukpa lineage in 2001. Students' fees meet running costs and are also channeled into scholarships for the needy. Of the 506 students, 158 stay on campus. The school expands by one grade every year,

and will have all 12 grades by 2014.

I attended a delightful cultural programme at the school. Students recited English rhymes, performed Ladakhi dances and enacted an environmental play. The classrooms are neat; all shoes stay outside. The artworks are evocative. The cchildren respect each other and their elders. Discipline is still in fashion here,

like proper uniforms. Teachers are still true to their calling.

The students keep smiling, and their laughter is infectious. You never tire of their company. Why didn't they make such schools when we were kids?

(BUDDHIST) STAIRWAY TO HEAVENFor those who believe in an afterlife, the aspiration is always to go to heaven. And every faith shows you a way to reach it. Buddhism too has its prescriptions. Climbing steps is one. Not those in Climbing steps is one. Not those in your house but the ones crafted especially for the purpose.

The first I saw of these was in Jispa, resting against a mud house and leading to the roof. Cut into a log of wood, the rungs were much smaller than most adult feet. And the design, evidently a local one, didn't include any climbing support. How does one climb without support, especially when carrying climb without support, especially when carrying something?

A guide enlightened me when I next saw a similar contraption at the Alchi gompa. If anyone can mount these steps all the way to the top without support, said he, that person bags himself a heavenly spot in the afterlife. It is certainly not a simple task. With simple task. With my big feet and the pending long drive, I dared not take the challenge lest I took a tumble!

The ticket to heaven doesn't come easy.

HOW TO CONDUCT YOURSELF IN A MONASTERY

Monasteries welcome visitors but we should be mindful of

our conduct. Here are some tips:

* Read and follow rules. If they say no photography, don't

grab shots when no one is looking.

* Take off your shoes when entering temples. Lower the

decibels. Ladecibels. Larger groups and children tend to get loud

without realising it.

* Manage kids; they are always excitable. Leave them in

courtyards if they are being difficult. No one will kidnap them.

* Don't carry or, worse, consume food and drink, including

chewing gum. You're not at a picnic spot.

* Do drop something into the collection box. Monasteries

need contributions need contributions for their upkeep.

* Dress modestly. Avoid shorts, short skirts and other

revealing clothes, especially during prayer sessions.

* Take permission before photographing monks. The nuns

can be especially touchy.

* Keep your flash off when photographing inside the prayer

hall. Or get a low light lens.

* Sit still when attending a pr* Sit still when attending a prayer session.

* Don't touch any sacred objects or wall art.

* Do not smoke or drink.

Devout Buddhists in Ladakh

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LadakhThe Buddhist Circuit

By

Ajay JainE-Edition Version: 1.0 (July 2012)Kunzum Catalog Code: KE 20002

This e-edition first published in 2012 by Kunzum, the travel imprint of TCP Media Pvt. Ltd. This e-edition first published in 2012 by Kunzum, the travel imprint of TCP Media Pvt. Ltd. All Text and Photographs Copyright © 2012 by Ajay Jain

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