Last December I flew from Nepal (the country where Buddha was born) to India (the country where Buddha attained enlightenment) to continue my Tibetan Buddhism studies for an additional five and a half months.
Traditionally speaking, a pilgrimage ultimately concerns the journey, the way, and not even particularly the goal—typically “transcendent” activities such as encountering the exalted leaders, listening to learned expositions, or touching sacred temple stones.
The power of pilgrimages extends largely from the experience of liminality—the tenuous, transitory nature of travel, the fleetingness of time, the unfamiliarity or expansion of space, the unmooring of identity from its usual tethers. The travel itself becomes a metaphorical journey of self-realization. Despite the pictures, postcards, books, souvenirs, and other trinkets so pervasively available at sacred sites, the pilgrimage well-taken ultimately eschews the functions of framing. Its realizations happen in liminal spaces outside of frames anticipated by oneself or constructed by others.
Although challenging to convey, I attempted to share the pilgrimage experience through the written word and a handful of photos. This new post is a visual representation of those many stories. It is also a continuation of August 6, 2015 postNepal in Photos. I hope you will enjoy.
Bangalore, Mundgod Tibetan refugee settlement, Chennai, Bombay/Mumbai, Pune, Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Delhi, Dharamsala, and Bir Tibetan refugee settlement. This image was made usingGoogle Maps 2015 and Picmonkey.com.
Traveling India by Train, Bus, and shared taxi. Photo by Kavita.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama taught at Ganden Monastery in south India December 2014.
Photos by Bill Kane, Tenzin Choejor/Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Tenzin Zopa.
Day to day life during His Holiness' teachings at Ganden Monstery.
Photos by Laura, Dee and me.
Fun carpool back to Bangalore.
Photo by Ravi.
Spending time with Sowmya and friends from her NGO Prafull Oorja in Bangalore.
Photos by Maddie, Sowmya and me.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche's teachings in Bangalore. Photos by Bill Kane and me.
Spending time with Kavita, her extended family, and friends from Nairobi, Emily and Audrey
in Bombay/Mumbai. Photos by Kavita and me.
Pilgrimage to Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya, India where Buddha attained enlightenment.
Photos taken by a kind passerby and me.
12 day long Retreat on Bodhicitta: Cultivating Your Awakened Heart led by
Geshe Dorji Damdul at the Root Institute in Bodhgaya, India.
Photos by Root Institute friends and me.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at the Root Institute in Bodhgaya, India.
Photos by Venerable Sarah Thresher, Bill Kane, and me.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya, India.
Photos by Bill Kane, Lozang, and I.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching at Sujata Riverside near Bodhgaya, India.
Photos by me.
Pilgrimage to Hindu Goddess Durga Temple in a rural village outside of Bodhgaya, India.
Photos by Panket Raj, Pema, and me.
Pilgrimage to Vulture's Peak and Nalanda University outside of Bodhgaya, India.
Photos by Lozang, Maja, and me.
Pilgrimage to Mahakala Cave outside of Bodhgaya, India. Photos by Lozang and me.
Rose Apple Cafe in Bodhgaya. Photos by Oat and me.
Bhutanese Tibetan Buddhist temple I stumbled upon while lost in a village outside of Bodhgaya, India.
Photos by me.
NGO schools in Bodhgaya - Bowl of Compassion, Akshay Charitable Trust, Panchashil School,
Maitreya Universal Education School. Photos by Oat, Pachashil staff, and me.
Three months (one trimester) of Tibetan language studies at Library of Tibetan Works and Archives
in Dharamsala on campus 30 min walk from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's temple and house.
Photos by Sonam Tsering/LTWA, Ingrid, and me.
Life in Dharamsala, India where His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama lives.
Buddhist Philosophy classes with Geshe Kelsang Wangmo and Lobsang Choegyal Rinpoche.
Photos by me.
My studio apartment, neighbors and neighborhood in Gamru Village a 15 minute walk
from "school" at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. Photos by me.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was the guest of honor on opening day of the
20th Shoton (Tibetan Opera) Festival held at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts
in Dharamsala, India. Photos by Tenzin Choejor/Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Marzia, and me.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's house and temple in Dharamsala, India
where he lives in exile from Chinese government occupied Tibet.
March 30, 2015 Public Audience with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at his temple
in Dharamsala. Photos by Tenzin Choejor/Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama teaching at Gyuto Tantric College and Monastery
in Sidhpur outside of Dharamsala, India.
Photos by Tenzin Choejor/Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama teaching Tibetan youth at Tibetan Children's Village
- upper campus in Dharamsala, India.
Photos by Tenzin Choejor/Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and me.
Geshe Dorji Damdul lead an 11 day retreat on Acharya Chandrakirti's Entry into the Middle Way
(or Madhyamikavatara in Sanskrit) at Deer Park Institute in Bir Tibetan refugee settlement
outside of Dharamsala, India. Photos by Deer Park Institute staff and me.
Deer Park Institute in Bir Tibetan refugee colony, a four hour bus ride from Dharamsala.
Teachings by Jetsuma Tenzin Palmo, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, and Kenpo Sonam Tsewang.
Photos by Deer Park Institute staff, a friend, and me.
Teachings on The Four Hundred Verses on the Yogic Deeds of Bodhisattvas (selected chapters)
by Acharya Arya Deva as well as teachings on the Harmony of Emptiness and Dependent Origination
given by Venerable Geshe Yeshe Thabkhey la and translated by his student Geshe Dorji Damdul
in Delhi, as well as the opening of Venerable Samten's film Surkhaab at an upscale mall in Delhi.
Photos by me.
Public Audience with His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa (born in Tibet in 1980)
at his Gyuto Tantric College and monastery in Sidhpur outside of Dharamsala.
Photo of the Karmapa found online, others by a fellow guest and me.
Teachings at Tushita Meditation Center in Dharamsala, India given by
Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Jetsuma Tenzin Palmo, Tenzin Osel Hita, Venerable Yangten
Tulku Ripoche, and Gen Gyatso. Teachings by Venerable Yangten Tulku Rinpoche and
Gen Gyatso were translated from Tibetan into English by Geshe Kelsang Wangmo.
Photos by Tushita staff, a fellow student, found online, and by me.
Norbulingka Institute in Sidhpur outside of Dharamsala and
meals with friends in Dharamsala. Photos found online, taken by restaurant staff, and me.
The current reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, a young Tibetan boy disappeared in Tibet at age 6,
the day after he was officially recognized as the reincarnation by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
The Chinese government selected their own reincarnation. The Panchen Lama has not been heard from
since he disappeared in 1995. Over 130 Tibetans have self-immolated (set themselves on fire) within
Tibet as a means of peacefully protesting the oppression of Tibetans by the Chinese government.
Black and white photo found online, others by me.
Save Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist monk imprisoned in China. He died in
Chinese prison several months after this protest had taken place at Tibetan Children's
Village - Day School in Dharamsala, India. Photos by a news reporter and me.
Street Dogs of India, three well fed dogs in Mumbai/Bombay, a three legged black and white
pup named Tiger now belonging to a Gamru neighbor, and a long haired black dog belonging to
Deer Park Institute. Big thanks to Compassion Unlimited Plus Action in Bangalore,
Dharamsala Animal Rescue, and Tibet Charity Animal Hospital.
Photos by Dharamsala Animal Rescue, Nik, a Deer Park Institute fellow student, and me.
Working Animals of India. Thanks to Compassion Unlimited Plus Action's Large Animal Rescue Center
in Bangalore for their work. Photos by me.
Lehigh in Bangalore - Bangalore and Mumbai/Bombay Happy Hours, Lehigh
Professor Ken Kraft's book Dharma Rain on sale at His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's
bookstore inside of his temple, and the Lehigh alumni magazine on the magazine rack
at a Tibet Government in Exile building lobby in Dharamsala, plus the US Embassy in
Delhi where alum Rich Verma is the US Ambassador to India. Photos found online, by Kavita,
a restaurant patron, and me.
Tibet Soccer Tournament at Tibetan Children's Village - Upper Campus in
Dharamsala with Tibetan friend Jamyang on my last full day in India.
Photos found online, by Jamyang, and me.
Delhi > Abu Dhabi > JFK. Back in the US still wearing damp, smelly, dirty running shoes that
bore the brunt of the rain storm that temporarily stopped the Tibetan soccer match. Photo on left taken
by Anne after I had shipped 35 pounds of books to my mom's house. Others by me.
Thanks for joining me for this journey, India Adventure II. Look for forthcoming posts from India Adventure III.
Two weeks ago today I was at the Library of Tibetan Works
and Archives in Dharamsala, India celebrating the conclusion of my three months
of Tibetan language studies. That morning I was unexpectedly awarded a certificate
from the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives (Centre for Tibetan Studies) certifying
my successful completion of the 2015 first trimester of the LTWA’s Basic
Tibetan Speaking course. My certificate is registered under the Societies
Registration Act XXI (1972) and is recognized by Himachal Pradesh University,
H.P. (1991).
Me holding my certificate during the LTWA celebration.
The certificate was awarded to me during the celebration
thrown by the LTWA’s Centre for Tibetan Studies for its Tibetan language
students. About forty other LTWA Tibetan language students and I gathered together
in a newly renovated room on the top floor of the main LTWA building, just
across the hall from our Basic Tibetan Speaking course classroom for the
celebration.
It was fun to recognize most of the faces of the room from
my two courses, and to get to celebrate our three months of hard work together
with our teachers. We were joined by our Basic Tibetan language course teachers
Dekyi la and Ani la, LTWA Director Geshe Lhakdor and LTWA photographer Sonam
Tsering who kindly documented the celebration for us.
The celebration kicked off with remarks from Tibetan monk Geshe
Lhakdor. I was excited to get to hear him speak for the first time. Geshe
Lhakdor was the English language translator for His Holiness the Dalai Lama from 1989 to 2005. He has co-translated and co-produced several books by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He received a Master of Prajnapramita degree from the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in 1982, as well as a Master of Madhyamika degree in 1989. He holds a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Delhi. He is known for his fantastic teachings.
Geshe Lhakdor spoke candidly about the endangered status of
the Tibetan language inside of Chinese occupied Tibet. He commended us for our
efforts to learn Tibetan, remarking upon the value of our efforts to the
preservation of the language. At this point I was sliding down in my seat in
the back of the room, embarrassed because my Tibetan is so poor. But I will
remember the emotion behind Geshe Lhakdor’s remarks and I WILL learn Tibetan.
Our teachers then called us to the front of the room one by
one to receive a khata and certificate from Geshe Lhakdor. He asked each
student where they were from as he presented us with our certificates. It was
fun to even exchange just those few words with him. Each student then posed
with Geshe Lhakdor as Sonam Tsering photographed us.
Having my photo taken with Geshe Lhakdor. Photo by Ingrid.
Me with Geshe Lhakdor and my certificate. Photo by Sonam Tsering.
We posed for a group photo after all certificates had been
awarded.
LTWA celebration. Ani la is in the front row on the far left. Dekyi la is just behind Geshe Lhakdor, in the red and grey dress. Geshe Lhakdor is in the center of the front row. I am in the far back row on the left still wearing my white khata from Geshe Lhakdor around my neck. Photo by Sonam Tsering.
Dekyi la and Ani la then celebrated our achievements with us
over a feast of cookies, chocolates, and bananas. Everything about these past
three months in Dharamsala has been so special, not the least of which is my
Tibetan language teachers.
LTWA celebration.
It was also great to get to see and get to say goodbye to my
friends from class Yukiko, Ingrid, and Tsering, as well as my first Tibetan
conversation partner, Mark who dropped in to congratulate us.
Yukiko from Japan, me, Tsering from Switzerlalnd, and Ingrid from Switzerland.
I learned our friend Cindy left India several days earlier
but I think she and I will cross paths again. When I thanked Dekyi la before
the ceremony for everything she had done for me over the course of the
trimester she humbly brushed off my thanks and kindly said we would continue
working on my Tibetan next trimester. I then realized I had never told her that
unlike many of my fellow students, I was only staying for one trimester. It was
hard to tell her I was leaving India in three days. I am sure I will see Dekyi
la again, too.
Hopefully my independent Tibetan language studies will have
yielded results by the time I see these women again. I now have this
certificate from Dekyi la to remind me of my commitment to learning and
preserving the Tibetan language.
I capped off a memorable morning with one last hearty bowl
of vegetable thukpa (with tofu) on the patio of my favorite local restaurant,
Namgyal Café surrounded by good friends Aidan, Aniko, Kate, Omar and Randolf. We
had last been together as a group at the Root Institute in Bodhgaya. It was
great to get to see them all one more time before leaving India. I look forward
to seeing them all again sometime, somewhere.
Kate from Russia, Aniko from the US, me, Aidan from England, Randolf from Singapore, and Omar from England at Namgyal Cafe.
Omar and Randolf then came with me to Lobsang Choegyal
Rinpoche’s 2PM class. It would be my last Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy class in
India this trip. I was so happy to hear Omar tell Lobsang Choegyal Rinpoche’s
translator, Ben that he would join the class again the following week.
After the classroom had cleared out, Ben took me to Lobsang
Choegyal Rinpoche’s nearby apartment so I could make an offering to Lobsang
Choegyal Rinpoche and present a khata. This is where I had first met Lobsang
Choegyal Rinpoche a year earlier, when my friend Yaron had brought me to a
teaching.
Lobsang Choegyal Rinpoche at Deer Park Institute last year.
After putting the white scarf over my head and blessing me,
I was invited to take a seat on the wall to wall carpeting at Lobsang Choegyal
Ripoche’s feet, next to Ben. I hesitatingly began asking Lobsang Choegyal
Rinpoche a lingering question about the nature of samsara. He kindly answered
me, with Ben translating between us.
The deep kindness they showed me led to many other questions
and a memorable conversation. There was a moment in which my mind stepped away
from the conversation and I wondered at the beauty and uniqueness of what was
taking place. But I learned on tour seven years ago not to linger on these questions,
and to just sink into the moment. So that’s exactly what I did.
I l said goodbye to Lobsang Choegyal Rinpoche and Ben an
hour later, after promising to be in touch as more questions arise.
The following day, Saturday June 6 was another day to
remember. I got to see and speak with His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa two days after he returned home to Gyuto Monastery and
Tantric College following an extensive US teaching tour, and two days before I left India for the US. I had been waiting to see
him for at least a year.
His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa in 2014. Photo from his Facebook page, which I highly recommend for its great quotes.
His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa was born in Tibet in 1980. He escaped to India when he was fourteen years old, arriving to the great surprise and joy of Tibetans and his foreign devotees in Dharamsala on January 5, 2000. He had to come to India to receive all of the empowerments and transmissions of his Tibetan Buddhism Kagyu lineage from masters living in exile in India.
Thanks to Dee for showing me the below video. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is on the far left, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa in the middle, and His Excellence the 7th Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche is on the far right.
When he is home, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa gives Public Audiences at 2PM
on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I learned from a friend of a friend who lives at
Gyuto Monastery and Tantric College that His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa would be giving his first
Public Audience in 2+ months on Saturday, June 6. I could
not believe my good luck.
I arrived at the Gyuto Monastery and Tantric College entrance
gate for His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa’s 2PM Public Audience on June 6 after a
protracted shared jeep ride through single lane weekend tourist traffic,
followed by a government bus ride whose progress was impeded by a remarkable
number of bus stops. This gave me plenty of time to reflect on the merits of
patience and demerits of attachment. I amazingly arrived at Gyuto Monastery and
Tantric College in a relatively peaceful state of mind.
Entrance to Gyuto Monastery and Tantric College in Sidhpur, north India.
I then passed through the multi layered security process
(including temporarily surrendering my passport to the Gyuto Monastery and
Tantric College office) that is an established part of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa’s Public Appearances. I was soon kneeling on the floor of Gyuto
Monastery and Tantric College’s spacious gompa, where I had sat before His
Holiness the Dalai Lama on May 13, awaiting the arrival of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa.
Gyuto Monastery and Tantric College gompa.
I was so happy when I finally caught sight of him a second
or two after he walked into the room. I broke out into a huge smile and quickly
folded my hands together at my chest. He may have seen my warm welcome;
he was looking out at my section of the audience when I first caught sight of
him.
His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa then stood in the center of the
front of the gompa, and began receiving his visitors one at a time. He held a
large bunch of red blessed strings in one hand. As each visitor approached him
he would pull one string off of the pile with his other, free hand. When the
visitor reached him, the visitor would bow down at the waist facing His
Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, and then His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa would drape the single
string over the head of the visitor. The visitor would then carefully rise up
to ensure the draped string did not fall to the ground, and follow the line of
people who had just received strings from His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa to the
nearest exit door.
Gyuto Monastery and Tantric College gompa. I took this photo after His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa had left, and I was able to bring my camera into the gompa again. I took this photo from my approximate seat on the floor during His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa's Public Audience.
It seemed His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa only spoke when spoken
to. Most of the visitors were Tibetan. A few older Tibetans seemed to ask him
questions when they approached him. He blew on the heads of some babies and
young children, and touched the sides of the heads of other visitors, mostly
Tibetans. It seemed this was in response to requests for blessings. His body
must have been tired from two months of travel throughout the US, large events, and
teachings at Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, University of the Redlands, University of Wisconsin - Madison, and Yale amongst other places in the US. It was so kind of him to hold a Public Audience so soon after returning
home.
His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa's portrait on display inside of the Gyuto Monastery and Tantric College gompa.
Even though I was in one of the last groups of visitors
ushered towards His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa and had therefore gotten to watch many
people go before me, I was still nervous and unsure of myself. I followed the
line of visitors in front of me, stopping first at a Tibetan monk who pulled my
offered white khata over my head and onto my shoulders. The next Tibetan monk
accepted my proffered envelope containing a monetary offering for His Holiness
the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa. Then I was shakily walking towards him.
I approached His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa from approximately this direction, walking towards him. He had his back to the large Buddha statue seen in the middle of this photo and was standing in front of his throne, seen here in the front, below His Holiness the Dalai Lama's throne which has a cardboard cut out of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on it.
I think His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa looked my way three steps
before I reached him. I then stood directly in front of him and bowed low from
my waist, with hands folded at my chest and my gaze directed at my socked feet.
He gave me a blessed red string. I heard myself thanking him in Tibetan while still
staring at my feet. I then lifted my head to stand before him. I met his eyes
just as he said “Thank You” to me in English.
Instead of walking out of the nearby exit door I followed
the lead of some Tibetans and nuns who had already been received by His
Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa and were now kneeling in front of him again, in the
audience. I wasn’t about to miss an opportunity to spend precious time with him. I also remembered what Venerable Geshe Dorji Damdul had
said about the importance of seeing your teacher arrive and leave. I joined the
audience that was kneeling in front of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa.
My instinct was a good one. After he finished receiving all
of the visitors he stepped forward to the head of the audience and blessed us
en masse. I couldn’t hear the prayers but could see his lips moving and saw him
toss what could have been grains of rice into the air over the heads of the
front section of the audience.
Gyuto Monastery and Tantric College gompa's Buddha statue.
His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa then crossed the room and left by
the same door he had used to enter the gompa maybe an hour earlier. I walked
out into the sunny afternoon, onto the monastery’s grounds within view of snow
covered mountains with a smile on my face.
Me wearing my white khata outside of the Gyuto Monastery and Tantric College gompa after the Public Audience.
I then met a Tibetan refugee who had been a tour guide in
Tibet, and saw Lobsang Choegyal Rinpoche’s Spanish student, Samara. Two friends
who stay at Thosamling Nunnery and Institute for International Buddhist Women
had also been at the Public Audience; it was great to see them.
I made an offering in memoriam of a loved one at the
offering office, receiving a red blessed string along with a receipt, and then
did korwas around the gompa finishing just as my last fellow visitors were
leaving the monastery.
When I was back in the US last year after leaving India, I
thought most often of the times I spent at Gyuto Monastery and Tantric College
and Sera Monastery. I soaked in every minute of my time back at Gyuto Monastery
and Tantric College on June 6.
I swung by nearby Norbulingka Institute on my way home from
Gyuto Monastery and Tantric College that evening to see Norbulingka Institute’s
thangka painting instructor, Yonten Dorjee. He and I had talked about the Wheel
of Life when I visited on May 13. I wanted to drop off the copy of the Wheel of
Life I had collected from Tibet House Delhi for Yonten Dorjee before I left
India.
I dropped in on the thangka painting studios to see what the
young Tibetan artists were working on, and found a crowd gathered around one of
the thangkas in progress. I learned the Yamantaka thangka I had seen in
progress last time I visited has been finished and shipped to the person who
commissioned it. Amazing.
Visitors gathered around a Norbulingka Institute thangka painter (left, in blue striped shirt) and his painting.
It was fun to get to visit with the artists and express
appreciation for their work.
One of the two Norbulingka Institute thankga painting studios.
Another view of the same Norbulingka Institute thankga painting studio.
I made a point of stopping by the room where I had
seen a large thangka being painted for His Holiness the Dalai Lama when I
visited on May 13. That thangka is almost done, and is so beautiful. I got to
talk with the artist who showed me what work still needs to be done, and his
favorite part of the painting. I also saw two other thangkas which will also be
offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama as part of a much larger group of
thangka offerings, and met two of the artists. I hope the artists will get to
be there when the thangkas are gifted to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Norbulingka Institute campus.
Close up of the above. Norbulingka Institute.
Close up of the above. Norbulingka Institute.
Close up of the above. Norbulinga Institute.
I woke up in my Gamru Village apartment for the last time on
Sunday, June 7 and headed up the hill to meet my friend Mary for one last korwa
of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s house and temple. We ran into friends from
Thosamling Nunnery and Institute for International Buddhist Women where Mary
also stays as we were about to start our korwa.
Friends at the start of the korwa path.
The four of us circumambulated the hill together.
Korwa path prayer wheels. Spin them and they release the mantras (prayers) printed on paper and carefully stuffed inside of the prayer wheels. I took this and the below photos on an earlier day but it looked the same when we did a korwa on June 7.
Korwa path. Another set of prayer wheels.
Off to the side of the korwa path. Thousands of prayer flags blowing in the wind. Each prayer flag is printed with prayers that are released when the wind blows through them.
Beautiful stupa along the korwa path.
Me in front of the stupa.
A close up view of the stupa.
Stones printed with mantras (prayers) lining the korwa path.
The four of us then sat down to tea at nearby Moonpeaks Café for an enjoyable conversation. It was great to see them one last time.
Outside of Moonpeaks after tea. I bought my shirt from the Students for a Free Tibet - India store front in McLeod Ganj. I was inspired by my friend Tenzin who has the same one. You can see I am wearing a long red blessed string around my neck given to me by His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa the previous day. I have not taken it off since I put it on that day, Saturday June 6.
I then met up with my friend Jamyang for lunch. He took me
to a Tibetan rooftop restaurant next door to Namgyal Café that I never even
noticed. The plate of vegetable momos I ordered was delicious – best I have had
this year. I enjoyed hearing about Jamyang’s family in Tibet and the inspiring
things he has done since arriving in India thirteen years ago.
I then finally got to Tibetan Children’s Village – Upper campus
(TCV – Upper) to watch a Tibetan soccer game. I had last been to TCV – Upper
from April 27 – 29 for teachings given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This was
an entirely different event. The 21st annual Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup Football Tournament, organized by the Tibetan National Sports Association (TNSA) pits teams of soccer teams
representing different Tibetan settlements against each other to determine the
best team of the year. TNSA uses the tournament to identify Tibetan soccer players for the Tibetan national soccer team. The Tibetan national soccer team played its first ever match against Greenland. The team has represented Tibet in various soccer matches played in India and abroad. One of the team's missions is to spread awareness about Tibet through soccer.
In its first year the Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup Football Tournament was held in loving memory of the Great late Mother of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. This year's tournament was dedicated to His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a token of gratitude from the Tibetan public on his 80th Birth anniversary. (His Holiness the Dalai Lama turns 80 on July 6.)
21st playing of the Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup Football Tournament at TCV - Upper.
This soccer tournament usually draws teams of Tibetan male
players representing Tibetan refugee settlements in Nepal and India. This year
New York, Canada and Europe also sent teams to participate in the tournament. I
had really wanted to see the New York team play but that did not happen.
Instead I watched Pokhara, Nepal play Delhi, India alongside a large Sunday
crowd composed almost entirely of Tibetan fans.
Tibetan football (soccer) fans sitting near Jamyang and I on the hillside.
Jamyang and I watched from a spot perched on the hillside.
It was fun, even after the weather changed and the rain came pouring down. The
skies cleared after at least thirty minutes of heavy rainfall. Tibetans did
their best to drain the compact dirt field as the players returned to the
field, and the stands filled up again with fans.
Jamyang and a very muddy soccer field.
Me at the soccer game. You can see it really did pour rain.
I couldn’t stay until the end of the Pokhara vs. Delhi game – I had to go home to pick up
my luggage and board the overnight bus to Delhi to catch my flight the
following day, June 8.
No, this was not my bus. But it is a beautiful large Indian vehicle that was being used to haul bricks when I was it in Bir.
This is my bus - the government run AC Volvo bus that runs between Dharamsala and Delhi.
I later heard from my friend Tenzin that Pokhara, Nepal had
beat Delhi at the game I had attended on Sunday, June 7. The tournament is now
over. Pokhara, Nepal finished as the second best team in the league. The Mundgod,
south India team won the entire tournament.
The Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup. It was designed and made by the late master sculptor Pema Dorjee from Tibet who used to work at Norbulingka Institute. I mentioned him in my last post in the context of my first visit to Norbulingka this year. The cup is coded with pure gold. The handles are made from silver and gold. The materials, including a few grams of pure gold, were given by the Private Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Sadly I couldn’t find Tenzin at that Sunday soccer game to say goodbye to him, but it
was good to get to say goodbye to my wonderful neighbors/friends and landlords
that afternoon before I left for Delhi. Geshe la and Julia followed my progress from Gamru Village to
the check in counter at the Delhi airport, ensuring I made it there safely with
all of my luggage. Geshe la and Julia are exceedingly kind. I am so lucky to
have met such wonderful people.
I flew through Abu Dhabi in the Middle East, but unlike the
Doha airport did not get to leave the airport and experience the local weather.
I’ll have to fly through Doha again another time.
Abu Dhabi departing flights in English.
Second screen of the same list of departing flights in Arabic. What happened to the Hindi and Tibetan letters I have gotten so used to seeing everywhere?
Two weeks later and it’s still surreal, but I made it to New
York.
(I couldn't resist. I listened to Taylor Swift's newest album 1989 on repeat while writing my previous post while sitting on my apartment floor in Gamru Village.)
I reached JFK with some filthy, smelly, heavily worn running shoes still
semi-damp from the rainstorm that had interrupted the Tibetan soccer game 48+ hours earlier.
JFK baggage claim Tuesday morning June 9.
Thank you for sharing this journey with me. I have at least
one more post to write about my second trip to India, so the adventure
continues.
