Cave number 32

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For some reason I couldn't quite figure out, I ended up at this little village called Rewalsar, hidden away in the Himalayan foothills. One of the guys at the meditation retreat was a monk from the monastery there and he recommended it, so it seemed the right place after the buzz of Mcleod Ganj.

Indeed, Rewalsar is a very chilled little village, surrounding a lake holy to Hindus and Buddhists. Inhabited by an eclectic mix of Hindu devotees, Buddhist monks and nuns, odd-ball villagers and pilgrims from all over the globe, it has a unique and charming character. It was only after talking to an Austrian guy, who'd spent the past month meditating in a cave above the town, that I became aware of the location's spritual appeal.

About 500 A.D, an enlightened Buddhist master, called Padmasambhava is reputed to have spent nine years in a large cave in the hilltop overlooking the lake. Thereafter he crossed the mountains, visible from his abode, into Tibet, conquering demons along the way and introducing the mountain kingdom to Buddhism. Today there are more than 40 monks and nuns living in mini-caves all over this holy hill...I even had tea with one!

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Photos

Stupid
As I was curious to see just how thin I'd got, I wanted to take a pic, given that I hadn't seen a mirror for weeks. I set the camera on delay and rushed backward. A little too quickly. This is the result of smacking by lower back into the cupboard mounted on the wall. lol!!

On the bus
Feelin good

On the bus
Absolutely packed, felt like throwing up, started to get fever. Not feeling so great.

Rewalsar
Holy lake surrounded by monasteries and shrines

Rewalsar
Wierd Hindu shrine

Rewalsar
Buddhist monastery

The locals
He had the swagger!

The locals
My homies

The locals
Who says monks can't be cool?

Cave no 32
As I was making my way to see the holy cave, I had a sudden urge to take this small path up, towards the private caves of the monks and nuns. About 5 mins later, this little old monk beckons me to join him for some tea in his cave. Such a cool, friendly guy..couldn't speak a word of Engish though. He was very proud of the indentation on the wall that looked like Buddha..

Cave no 32
We spoke sign language while I drank his delicious lemon tea, in his tiny little cave.

Buddhist vandals
Prayer flags and graffiti everywhere. To think it used to be just another mountain.

Buddhist vandals
More graffiti. Disgusting.

The dude
It's a strange feeling knowing that this guy lived in this cave 1500 yrs ago. Buddhists obviously aren't averse to a good chow-down.

The mountain
Afros : in fashion.

The mountain
Catchin some rays outside her cave. That's a mini prayer wheel in her hand.

Delhi
That's a lotta beef.

Delhi
Right next to the urban sprawl. Contrast everywhere.