Treasure in the mountains....Rewalsar

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Tensing is 37 and hails from central Tibet, where together with his mother and a group of Tibetan nuns he escaped Chinese persecution in 1984 via a treacherous 14 day journey across the Himalayan plateau and into India. He has had a good education in India, and has lived in the USA and Spain. Now he lives in Rewalsar where his mother also lives the life of a Tibetan nun and his sister runs an excellent Tibetan restaurant serving Thupka, Momos and Chowmien.

Rewalsar is just 23 klms from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh and is at an altitude of 1,360 m above sea level. It has always been sacred to Tibetan Buddhists but since the Chinese invasion of Tibet, it has become a refuge for many Buddhist monks, with three monasteries now in the town.

The famous Rewalsar lake ('Tso Pema' to Tibetans) is associated with Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche), who is recognized as the second Buddha of this age. He lived about 1,200 years ago, around the same length of time after the Buddha lived.

The origin of Padmasambhava has several versions, including coming from an Afghanistani family. But Tensing tells the legend whereby the king of Mandi had Padmasambhava burnt alive at Rewalsar where he was living the life of an ascetic in some caves 10 klms above the current site of the town. This was because of rumours that the Guru had attempted to teach his daughter the Dharma, which was not accepted then. Tensing adds that there was also a suspicion that there was some sexual liaison going on between them. The pyre burned for a full week, with great clouds of black smoke arising from it, but then a lake appeared at the spot where he was burnt and Padmasambhava manifested himself as a 16 year old boy from within a lotus flower in the middle of the lake. Tensing says that if you can believe this legend then of course it’s a very nice and magical thing. The king, repenting his actions, married his daughter with Padmasambhava. It was from Tso Pema that Padmasambhava went to Tibet to spread Vajrayana Buddhism.

There is a huge (37.5 m. or 123 ft.) new statue of Padmasmabhava and temple overlooking the lake where artists commissioned from Bhutan are still at work painting traditional very detailed and spectacularly beautiful Buddhist motifs and mantras on the walls and ceilings.

The caves where Padmasambhava lived and meditate absolute magic and there is also a Buddhist monastery there with about 17 nuns.

The place is still relatively low key in terms of few westerners and lay back feel. We stayed in rooms within a Tibetan monastery next to the lake. Peaceful place. A treasure!

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Photos

Rewalsar
View from road to caves looking back

Artisan at work
One of the Bhutanese artists commissioned to do the internal paintings at the new temple overlooking Rewalsar.... to be opened in April 2012

Padmasambhava statue
The new temple has a huge statue of Padsambhava on top overlooking the town and lake

Tibetan Nuns
Nuns prayer time at the monastary at the site of Padmasambahva caves 10 klms up from Rewalsar

Padmasambhava's cave
Statue of Padmasambhava in the cave where he spent many years as a hermit

Padmasambhava's cave 2
Sitting in the renovated cave where Padmasabhava meditated

Tibetan prayer wheel
Large wheel at Monks training monastary in Rewalsar. Tibetans believe that the prayer inscribed (Peace to all sentient beings) is prayed each time wheels like this (in all sizes throughout Tibetan culture) are rotated

Comments

[Marguerite]

Wow factor big time!!!
Sensational - Take me, take me!!!! You're right, I would luv it. Glad you and Carolina are enjoying. Hugs Marguerite

[Rajendra Mohanty]

You seem to find the right places always
Beautiful and informative. This reminded us so much of our recent holiday in Bhutan and of the Buddhist temples, the Zhongs ( forts) and of course the huge prayer wheels which we loved to rotate.

[ramesh]

Reminded me of my hometown
Thanks for reminding me of my Hometown Had my childhood in the region near these caves.

[Carol]

It's a treasure, really!
I'm glad we folllowed the tips from Will and Jeff and we stopped in this special place! That temple on the top of the hill is amazing! When I think about Rewalsar I remember the colours of the paintings, those momos, that rainy day and my new beats! xxx