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Published: July 30th 2006
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A grand finale--my last month in Golok for the summer! July is the season for festivals, and the landscape of Golok is lush after the June rains. The grasslands have deep emerald sheen speckled with wildflowers. Friends join me for several weeks of monastery visits, rides on bumpy back roads, and a horse-packing trip through Nyenpo Yutse, a sacred mountain range and legendary source of the Golok tribes.
Consecration at Traling Gompa It' s heartening how many new buldings are springing up in Golok monasteries--as elsewhere in Tibetan areas--with brilliant hues of fresh paint, vibrant murals, and glistening golden statues. A tent fair ground has been set up to house dignitaries from area monasteries for the consecration of the new assembly hall at Traling Gompa. We camp nearby in a tent provided by the monastery, decorated with auspicious symbols on the classic blue and white exterior.
The event spans several days including a feast day for locals who made offerings in support of the monastery. Sacred souvenirs are distributed in thanks: a commemorative picture book, engraved watch, buddha statue, and (my personal favorite) a bright yellow plastic recorder that plays audio files of chants. The consecration
itself has two parts, first prayers in the assembly hall and second a procession of the monastery grounds. The procession consists of a parade of incarnate lamas, lined according to rank, each with an ornamental umbrella overhead.
The Long Road to Serta We next rush off toward Serta, hearing that Dodrupchen Rinpoche is visiting from Sikkim. We are able to have a brief audience with him and otherwise explore the monastery grounds of Dodrup Chode. This is one of two monasteries founded by the First Dodrupchen, a student of Jigme Lingpa who spread the Longchen Nyingthik teachings to Golok. Later we see the original monastery, called Yarlung Pemako, just on the outskirts of Serta town. But before leaving, we are able to meet two other lamas while staying overnight at Dodrup Chode. Our Chinese driver is the most enthusiastic, hunting out any and all tulkus in residence and even asking one of them to be his teacher (and thereby converting to Buddhism on the spot).
The driver's enthusiastic spurt soon gives way to a series of temper tantrums as the roads worsen, and he tries to extort extra money from us. The back road from
Dodrup Chode to Dzamthang begins as a series of muddy slopes. After 15 kilometers, it becomes a typical dirt road, leaving passengers with bruises on their heads from smashing against the window in the bumpy parts. The driver threatens to turn back to Xining several times over the next days and eventually makes good on his threat when we reach Serta.
On my other trips, I used public transportation or hired cars by the day when needed. But this time, due to our ambitious itinerary, we opted for the convenience and expense of hiring a car from Xining. Our idea was that a landcruiser would make it easier to navigate the back roads. But the driver's complaints and threats began to spoil the mood of the trip, and everyone was greatly relieved when he left. We had no trouble hiring cars for each leg of the rest of the trip, and it turned out to be cheaper in the end.
In the meantime, on the way to Dzamthang, we stumble on the first-ever Kagyu Monlam (prayer festival) at Yuthok Gompa. Outside the monastery is a tent village of hundreds of nomad families attending the event--including the consecration of
a new cultural center/school. To avoid another tantrum on the driver's part, we only stay a brief hour to tour the grounds and sit for tea with the monks. By dusk, we arrive in Dzamthang, which is unexpectedly a bustling town along a river gorge, reminiscent of Dartsedo. The next morning, we face more threats on our way to see local gompas, including the famous Jonang monastery there.
Circumambulating Drongri Once in Serta--our driver now gone--we must figure out how to get to Drongri, Serta's sacred mountain (more like a hill) that serves simultaneously as the abode of a local protective deity as well as the compassionate Avalokitesvara and wrathful Mahakala. A friend helps us to hire motorcycles and off we go onto the grasslands with handsome bucks at the helm with hardly a dirt track showing the way. An hour-and-half later, we reach the site. It looks small at first, but the route circumambulating the mountain took eight hours. The sun is penetrating, and we keep a slow pace with many breaks. There are markings along the way to note: a footprint of Vairocana, hoofprint of Gesar's horse, medicinal water, a rock to slide down in order
to ease one's passage through the bardo (or intermediate state between death and rebirth), and a large cliff covered in prayer flags which has been the site of numerous treasure revelations. Then back to Serta on motorcycle, spashing through creeks, barreling up muddy inclines, and honking all the way at marmots scurrying across the grasslands.
After a few days in Serta, resting and doing follow-up interviews, we head back north to Padma on our way to Jigdril. In Padma, we stroll to Chakri Gompa to visit its impressive Zangthok Palri temple, depicting the pure abode of Padmasambhava. Just as we approach, an old nun strolls up with the key for some monks who have been waiting. It's the first time I've been inside the gates around the building. Prayer flags flutter in the wind and bells tinkle in response as we climb a hill with overgrown grass. The moment has a storybook quality, like approaching an abandoned house that leads to another world altogether.
Horse-Packing in Nyenpo Yutse The last leg of our trip is the highlight. We arrive in Jigdril with no clue how we will arrange a horse-packing trip. But there it is...
written on the rough itinerary I put together at the outset of the trip. We call around to various contacts, and finally a friend of a friend of a friend has an uncle who rents out horses. Off we go the next day to Shimtso to meet him. And by that afternoon, we are saddle up and setting off. Unfortunately, we don't have time to do the korra route, which I'm told takes 8 days by horse and 12 on foot. Maybe next year! Instead, we head directly for Ngontso and tour other lakes along the way.
An extensive mountain range, Nyenpo Yutse seems to have its own weather system. So, even though we had sunny skies for most of our trip, it is overcast and rainy for the three days we are horsepacking. Drizzling mostly. After the first night, we wake up to a wet tent and damp sleeping bags. The rain clears up in the morning and then comes back with a vengance in the afternoon. A beautiful picnic along the way. But we arrive at camp our second night drenched. I worry about ALC, who seems on the brink of hypothermia. Luckily, one of the horsemen we hired comes from the area and we proceed directly to his family's black tent for milk tea. There is no other choice but to invite ourselves to stay the night. His family is incredibly welcoming, and we warm up and dry off (except for boots and bags).
The next day, well-rested and with socks wrapped in plastic, we set off for Ngontso. The scenery is stunning: jagged peaks looming over placid grasslands, wildflowers and yaks scattered here and there, peaks capped with a tuft of new snow. No rain, only a deep chill from the high altitude and humidity. We arrive in Ngontso during the preparations for celebration. It is the annual renewing of lhatse at the site, which entails the planting of arrows in a platform as an expression of social unity. There are tents set up in a circle, monks chanting, and men arriving on horseback and motorcycle with their newly cut arrows. These are typically all-male events. So we enjoy a picnic by the lake and then head to the roadhead at Lungkhor Gompa. The path becomes flat as we trail the dirt road out. We take advantage of this to get in some trotting and cantering despite our sore butts. A glorious ending to my summer in Golok!
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