Exploring Northern Religions

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Our second month in India came with very different religious experiences. We started in Amritsar, the capital city of the northern province of Punjab, where we mixed up with a river of pilgrims visiting the Golden Temple, the equivalent of the Mecca for the Sikh people. We stayed at the dormitories offered for pilgrims and joined the more than 40, 000 humans eating in massive dining halls everyday, maybe 500 at the same time. Hospitality is a feature of all Sikh temples, as a mark of unity among people of all religions. Most of the time, we just wandered around this immense pool that serves as an incredibly photogenic Golden Temple.

A Taste of the Himalayas
From the prosperous Punjabi plains we traveled 8 hours east, and everything changed. We are now at the base of the Great Himalayas and enjoy, right outside from our room, a phenomenal view of peaks above 15,000 feet. No more turbans or beards but red robes all around the Tibetan refugee community that found a home in these mountains. Dharamsala is also known as the base of the Tibetan government in exile and the home of the Dalai Lama.

Without planning it too much we got to be part of a once-in-a-life event, a ceremony headed by the Dalai Lama which happened to be an experience we will hardly forget. The Tibetan chants are still making our chest vibrate in that unique tone offered during ritual ceremonies we could only see in movies (and because Tibetans are now exiled).

Learning about the struggle of Tibetans gave us a new perspective on our past travels in Chinese soil and how the whole world seems to have buried this infamous reality under our consumerism needs (read made in China) or the "spirit" of the Olympic games.

The Source of the Ganges River
Sleeping in a moving train is not yet an easy matter. In any case, we arrived to the sacred city of Haridwar, and the world changed again. Hindu pilgrims come from all around India to take a bath in the most sacred river, which at this point is not too polluted but comes with a very strong current. This makes it entertaining (for outsiders at least), because pilgrims performing pujas (offerings) often loose parts of their jewelery or clothes that a team of treasure hunters get to catch meters down the river.

The fact Haridwar has not been yet discovered by the mainstream tourism makes you pay the price, as it's not easy to find a place to stay that is not full of noisy Hindu pilgrims. This and the fact Ina got an Indian cold virus made it interesting to be in Haridwar. In anyway, we had a good time.

Next stop: Bodhgaya, in the state of Bihar.

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Photos

Night Meditation
At the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Sikh founders believed in equality centuries before it became fashionable.

Golden Heart
The Sikh may look fearful but they believed in equality centuries before it became fashionable.

Pilgrims Cry
At the Guru's tomb.

Playing Krishna
At an Hindu temple in Amritsar.

Enlightened Monk
During the ceremonies before the arrival of the Dalai Lama.

Lunch Time
A break during the long praying sessions.

Colorful Praying
By the Dalai Lama's home.

Tibetan Prayer
Opressed by the Chinese government, refugees seek refuge in these quiet Indian mountains.

Photogenic Saint
One of the several sadhus by the Ganges

Electric Dreams
Wedding parade in Haridwar

Comments

[erika]

budismo
gracias por estas imágenes, que todos los seres del mundo encuentren la paz y sus razones, que todos los seres del mundo escuentren el amor y sus razones, que todos los seres del mundo encuentren la compasión y sus razones. Hasta entonces, Erika.

[David]

Wow!!
I hope you both seriously think about writing, if not a book, then at least a series of articles about your experiences. Andrea's back in Mexico from the jungle - I'll make sure she sends y'all an e-mail about Caracol Love ya both!!! ~David