At about 9:30 this morning a car arrived to take Asher and me, with our new friend Tendzin Losel, to the Gyuto Tantric Monastery and official home of His Holiness, the Seventeenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Urgen Thinley. The journey involved a hair-raising drive up and down and around sharp mountain corners on a single lane "highway" that made the roads in Bhutan seem like nothing (and we were quite literally in the clouds). 
After about 45 minutes we arrived at a beautiful monastic settlement, nestled in the mountains and surrounded by Indian Secret Service. There were men with machine guns at the entrance and in key locations throughout the part of the monastery we visited. We entered a building, where we handed over our passports and waited in a reception room. Eventually a group of about 25 people from Taiwan joined us and also the extended family of an elderly couple from someplace in India. We were offered chai and cookies as we waited. Finally a few officials and a friendly, kind looking and obviously senior monk came in to tell us it would not be long. We were told we could not take our cameras or cell phones in and that we would have to go through additional security checks. Asher went out with the men and I stayed with the women. We were frisked, asked to walk through a metal detector and then headed up the stairs. Fortunately we had been able to speak on the telephone to the Karmapa's chief lietenant so were welcomed especially warmly and put at the head of the line. Suddenly the doors opened and Asher and I entered the room with our katas on our arms and Asher's thoughtful present of two video games in his hands. The young Karmapa received our awkward offering of the katas and put them around our necks and then shook our hands. All of the monks have been impressed with Asher's height and the Karmapa was no exception. We exchanged a little bit of small talk, told him how honored we were and asked if a photo could be taken. The official photographer (cleared by Indian Security) took our photos which will be delivered to our hotel. The Karmapa presented us with a booklet, a traditional red string and wished us well. As we left we were introduced by the senior monk, Thupten Sherpa, to a much older monk - perhaps in his 90ies. He believed he recognized us and presented each of us with charms with the Karmapa's photo. And that was all before 11:00! We next headed to the Norbulingka Institute, founded to preserve and promote Tibetan art and culture. We observed students making aplique thangkas, painting and also carpentry. The setting is spectacular; Asher will post photos when we next can. We also visited the Tibetan Childrens Village (stories and photos to follow - and finally because of my new job an 1852 Anglican Church called St John in the Wilderness 
where the British Viceroy Lorg Elgin is buried. We got back to our Hotel at about 4:00 and at about 4:15 the rains began.
After about 45 minutes we arrived at a beautiful monastic settlement, nestled in the mountains and surrounded by Indian Secret Service. There were men with machine guns at the entrance and in key locations throughout the part of the monastery we visited. We entered a building, where we handed over our passports and waited in a reception room. Eventually a group of about 25 people from Taiwan joined us and also the extended family of an elderly couple from someplace in India. We were offered chai and cookies as we waited. Finally a few officials and a friendly, kind looking and obviously senior monk came in to tell us it would not be long. We were told we could not take our cameras or cell phones in and that we would have to go through additional security checks. Asher went out with the men and I stayed with the women. We were frisked, asked to walk through a metal detector and then headed up the stairs. Fortunately we had been able to speak on the telephone to the Karmapa's chief lietenant so were welcomed especially warmly and put at the head of the line. Suddenly the doors opened and Asher and I entered the room with our katas on our arms and Asher's thoughtful present of two video games in his hands. The young Karmapa received our awkward offering of the katas and put them around our necks and then shook our hands. All of the monks have been impressed with Asher's height and the Karmapa was no exception. We exchanged a little bit of small talk, told him how honored we were and asked if a photo could be taken. The official photographer (cleared by Indian Security) took our photos which will be delivered to our hotel. The Karmapa presented us with a booklet, a traditional red string and wished us well. As we left we were introduced by the senior monk, Thupten Sherpa, to a much older monk - perhaps in his 90ies. He believed he recognized us and presented each of us with charms with the Karmapa's photo. And that was all before 11:00! We next headed to the Norbulingka Institute, founded to preserve and promote Tibetan art and culture. We observed students making aplique thangkas, painting and also carpentry. The setting is spectacular; Asher will post photos when we next can. We also visited the Tibetan Childrens Village (stories and photos to follow - and finally because of my new job an 1852 Anglican Church called St John in the Wilderness 
where the British Viceroy Lorg Elgin is buried. We got back to our Hotel at about 4:00 and at about 4:15 the rains began.
2 comments:
Caitlin wants to know if you are seeking Buddha? I want to know if Asher is seeking Buddha.
I want to know if you will adopt me and take me on your next trip. I am very jealous of all your adventures! Amy
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