I’m frustrated, and decided that my journal has had nothing but good things so far, so I’ll share something that didn’t work out. Let me start by saying that I’m mostly frustrated with myself.
I decided to go to the border today. Every day before sunset there is a big ceremony, for which hundreds of people come. On each side of the border there are large viewing stands. The is an elaborate ceremony to take down the flags with outrageous costumes for the soldiers. People yell and cheer as the flags of both countries are lowered, carried to the border gate and then folded.
Well, I knew that shared taxis go from the Golden Temple around 3:30, so there I headed. I had met a man who distributes free pamphlets there, and I thought I’d ask his advice. “Sit, have tea…there’s plenty of time he said.” I knew I should say no, and go look for a taxi, but being the overly social, trusting person I am, I agreed. After the tea, which I gulped down, he took me to an auto-rickshaw driver whom he knew. At this point I doubted I would find a taxi, and decided to accept the high price offered.
The driver then passed me to his brother in another auto. The auto was so amazingly slow, and I think most of it’s energy went into shaking and making noise. I watched taxis and other autos pass us. By the time we reached the border I had a headache and the ceremony was virtually over. I was very frustrated at having spent extra money to miss the ceremony. I found the driver and told him to find other passengers, and I gave him a portion of the money. In the end I went with him, but told him to take other passengers.
When I cooled off, I felt sorry for the poor driver. I wasn’t mean to him, but I wasn’t friendly either. He refused to take the remainder of the money, and I apologized.
Well, I still have time here, and perhaps I’ll get to see the border yet.
The Golden Temple
I already talked some about the Golden Temple, but I feel the need to make a few more observations. It is the most alive place of worship I have ever seen. I have been to many cathedrals in Europe, and a mosque or two, and when services aren’t going on, they are just impressive architecture. Service is going on 24 hours a day at the temple. It is also much more of a communal place. At any given time, hundreds of lay people are working to cook food, serve food, wash dishes, clean the sidewalks…their actions being worship. It is quite unlike the one-way, top-down approach of services in other large churches.
Eating in India
Jasdip asked me to write something about my gastronomic adventures here in India. When I first arrived I was extremely cautious. I was paranoid to eat something that would make me sick. My first venture away from hotel food was with the freshly prepared fried food one finds everywhere at small chaat shops. The somosas here are particularly good, and at about 7 cents each, I could eat myself sick on them. One day with a friend, I stopped at a chaat shop in Dehradun, and we ate our way through plates of somosas and pakoras.
McLeod Ganj
On Sunday I left Amritsar to come back up into the mountains to McLeod Ganj. Originally a British hill station, it is now the home-way-from-home of the Dalai Lama, and of a sizeable Tibetan community. The town is quite small, and full of western tourists and Budhist monks. It is interesting to look over and see a monk, in red robes, sitting and email1317ing at the computer next to you. I find the Tibetans very engaging and positive.
With some luck, I will get to attend a public audience with His Holiness.
A Day in McLeod Ganj
Thursday:
I awoke early this morning, as I have tended to do since arriving in McLeod Ganj. My room was very cold, so I stayed under the covers with my hot-water bottle. Finally I mustered the nerve to face the day, and went down to order a chai. I drank my tea on the rooftop terrace, which is warm and sunny, and provides a view of the valley and the Himalayan peaks beyond.
Photography
When I first arrived in India, I was hesitant to ask people to let me take their picture. I didn’t want to be the ugly tourist and treat them as objects. If I did decide to take a picture I would ask permission. Most often the response I get is very positive, and even enthusiastic. Older people, who look very serious, will brighten up when I ask. I am finding that it opens the way for many positive interactions.
His Holiness The Dalai Lama
Last week His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet returned from a trip to Japan. This brought the possibility of a public audience. So many people want to meet him, that a private audience is near impossible. The small community of foreign visitors was buzzing the prospect of meeting him.
Triund
On Saturday, a group of six of us went for a trek up the mountain above McLeod to a scenic spot called Triund. It was a nine kilometer hike which brought us up from 1900 meters here in town up to 2800 meters. The group consisted of three German women, two Americans Raj and Lee. We met for breakfast early in the morning. It was quite cold still, and we were all bundled up. Luckily the day was sunny and warm by the time we started out from town.
Ngawa’s Kitchen
McLeod Ganj offers many opportunities to learn things. Last week I went to a Tibetan cooking class. The class is taught by a monk named Ngawa in his small home. The ‘kitchen’ is a table with burners on it wedged in the corner next to the bed. One sits on the bed, while he demonstrates.
I learned how to make “momos”, which are small vegetable-stuffed dumplings much like pot-stickers. I also learned several recipes for Tibetan soup. I am amazed at how simple they are to make. I have added one to my cookbook. Please give it a try and let me know what you think. Thenthuk
Sonam
My roommate Sonam. He has lived in India for 15 years, and has been a monk since the age of 9. Usually he lives at a monastary Mysore in the South. He has come to Dharamsala to study English. On this day he invited me to his monastary to hear a ceremony which involved him chanting most of the day. I snapped a picture of him while he was on a break.