The Leaning Tower of Gabde

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We have extra time to visit two monasteries outside of Gabde: Tongchab Gompa and Thubten Chökorling, also known as Tumpokha after its main lama Pema Tumpo, better known in the West as Kusum Lingpa.

Global Buddhism off the Beaten Track

The eclectic vision of Kusum Lingpa is evident from the first glimpse of Tumpokha. A replica of the Boudha Stupa in Nepal is the most prominent. It now leans to one side after an earthquake just one month ago. There are also replicas of the stupas at Bodh Gaya and Saranath in a kind of amalgamation of global Buddhist sites.

A host of other things make this monastery unusual. Scattered around the grounds are gigantic mandala offerings of rocks stacked like the traditional golden disks holding rice. On one side of the gompa, long haired boys donning ngakpa robes are being trained as non-monastic religious specialists. On the other is a Gesar lhakhang that looks more like a tea room with a linoleum floor and walls lined in pastel relief depicting episodes of the Gesar epic.

Chatting with Locals on the Khorwa Circuit

Despite the abandoned air of the Tongchap Gompa, it is lively on the khorwa circuit. Though the monks are away, ritual activity beyond the monastery grounds does not abate. Lay folk are rambling around a series of stupas, in and out of rooms housing large prayer wheels.

Later, we stop to sit with some old locals taking a break on their circumambulation of the monastery. How fun making small talk and trying out my fledgling attempts at the local dialect. I feel a bit of a high, being able to converse better after only two weeks in Golok.

The drive back to Tawo is epic: first a lightening storm and then snow. We inch along and hours later reach town.

Travelers to Gabde:

Gabde can be reached from either Tawo or Dar by shared minivan (15-20 RMB per person). Tongchap Gompa is on the main road, just south of Gabde. It takes two hours on a dirt track to get to Tumpokha, but the trip is well worth it. Local drivers complain about the bad condition of the road (there are a number of streams to forde) and ask 300 RMB for the trip. Try to pay half that.

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