The Yak Attack or Going Contra the Kora

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August 1

The air is fresh, the food is delicious and life is easier. No facebook, no BBC, no CNN no surprise. And recently: no public bus, no photos of any police people, and no entry to temples without a guide. Women can’t divorce without male consent but of course the man can, and lots of mei yu (don’t have) and bu qu (no go). The Dalai Lama means Dalai=ocean of wisdom and Lama=high. And monks wear shoes with their toes turned up so they do not squash bugs.

At dawn we went to the gardens behind the Potala Palace and saw sword dancers (many were women), Tai Chi (which I decided to join along and try out the moves myself. I ended up mostly getting laughed at but the smiles were worth it - and mom of course took photos and videos), it’s a magical place where even the rocks and the mushrooms blare music. Our favorite part though were the adult playgrounds that at first looked like colorful games for children but actually provided a fabulous workout (when we move here we promised ourselves to workout in the park every morning). Throughout we kept walking contra the kora which was very disconcerting. This is the path that the pilgrims follow around the temples for good karma. I’m not sure where that left us.

Next we took a 15 min (which turned into 1 hour with many helpful friends pointing us in the right direction) to Norbelinka, the Summer Palace. Although initially disappointing, we were able to wander around a few chapels and see the Dalai Lama’s fancy western toilet (notable in this country as a rarity) and a Russian radio in his personal quarters.

We then met the group and went inside the Potala Palace which has 1,000 rooms and 3,700 kgs of gold on the beloved 5th Dalai Lama’s stupa. On the walk down, I got picked up by a Tibetan mother who grabbed my arm and clung to me gleefully while spitting to the side and jabbering away in Tibetan. Mom thinks she was either trying to adopt me as the daughter she never had (she kissed my hand) or set me up with her son (who walked behind with mom). That night we went back to see it ablaze with lights and cheery Chinese music and dancing water fountains there to celebrate the Chinese “liberation” of Tibet…

I learned a new study technique from the debating monks of the Sera monastery. Dozens of monks congregated under the trees in a courtyard, the questioner slapping his hand as he interrogated the student and judging the answer with either another question if the answer was correct, or an upside down slap if the answer was wrong. This lively study session was very entertaining. .

We ditched our group and headed off to see the Ramoche temple which was really warm and fuzzy as it was hidden away in a small community square. When we reported back to our guide with our precious find we were promptly scolded for breaking the “no visiting temples w/out guides” law which could supposedly result in our deportation (however everything here is about temples everywhere and it is a completely fluid part of your day. As you pass you enter and pay respects).

For dinner we joined our group for an all you can eat Tibetan dinner followed by traditional Tibetan songs and dances. This proved to fortuitous lesson for me…

It feels very safe here and always interesting. One never knows what one will see the next moment: chanting monks, people painting tankas, prayer flag makers and bells ringing off bicycle rickshaws, little puppy dogs, and the tops of temples.

August 2

Mom corralled a group to leave before dawn to head up to Gyantse monastery in a private car with guide. After going through at whip-neck speed the various temples, the rest of the group decided to hang out at the bus and we proceeded to wander and, as always, get lost! It was wonderful . We heard the echo of singing and thumping off the roof tops of one of the temples and chased them down successfully. Even more incredible is that we were able to mount the stairs to the roof and I joined in the dance! Last night’s lessons paid off! The dance was dedicated to blessing the house beneath it, and also fortifying the roof. This involved rhythmically stamping and banging a wooden plunger on the ground while chanting in unison and in rounds. There was an unofficial competition between the girls and the guys, and in my opinion the girls unofficially won. A bunch of girls had a laughing fit at my exposed ankles and flip flopped feet though I’m sure it was all in good fun. Before continuing exploring I gave one of the girls my pinky puzzle ring that she had been admiring. Mom is seriously thrilled because it also means I can’t fiddle with it anymore. We heard gongs banging, cymbals crashing and monks chanting. Atop every temple is the Dharma wheel of law flanked by two deer. This refers to the deer park in Sarnath, India where Buddha gave his first speech and where we were last week! We are constantly being reminded of the karmic flow of our journey.

Next was Drepong Monastary where we were drenched in rain and allowed to explore the areas that were still open. In addition to the giant Buddhas and Stupas, one of the most impressive creations we saw was the sand mandala. Recreated each year by 4 monks for 1 week, it is painstakingly blown together through straws. The pilgrims all crouched under the Buddhas or spiritual books where possible as if to receive a blessing and knowledge by osmosis. Unique to this monastery is a chapel dedicated to woman’s health. The story goes that there was a sick woman who asked the Dalai Lama how she could get better and was told that if she created a big Buddha she would be cured. So, mom and I got blessed there. This involved throwing and retrieving our white scarves onto the hands of Buddha and bowing our heads and being blessed by the Monk and in my case being helped with the tossing by a fellow female devotee (because the monk had already left without telling me what to do). At Gyantse mom also got blessed by being pelted on the head with the hat and shoes of a prior (13 year old) Dalai Lama. Our guide explained that when the Dalai Lama felt that the people had gone too far astray, they “let go of their lives” (suicided or ?were killed?). This seemed paradoxical because the role of the Dalai Lama is to be a Bodhisattva (an enlightened being who decided to stay in this world to help others find enlightenment). Furthermore (from what I understand) theoretically every Dalai Lama is the same “person,” the reincarnation of the Compassion Buddha so I’m not sure what the point is in killing themselves other than to send a message to the people that they need to change… Most alarming, the Dalai Lama’s who “let go of their lives” were usually kids. How does a kid make that decision?!

We refused to quit (our motto) when we returned to Lhasa and proceeded to heed the call of the nunnery where we were unsurprisingly delighted with their warm welcome. Not only was it the first place we were allowed to take pictures, the women were eager to engage in conversation.

Tudeshey, (thank you) Lhasa, we’ve had a wonderful few days.

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