Opening Ceremony and Selim Hill Tea Estate

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Two Fridays ago I arrived back from Darjeeling to Rimbick to learn that the monks were starting a week long Puja on the Sunday so I taught for one day before leaving again to see some of the other volunteers who I hadn't seen for a while. I was so fortunate to be invited by some teachers in Takdah to the opening ceremony of a small monastery. Although the monastery is small the last day of theopening ceremony would've been the biggest gathering of people in this small town in a long time. Hundreds of people turned up to give offerings and recieve blessings from Wangchuk Gurung Gurudev Tulku Rinpoche, a famous buddhist master from Darjeeling and another Rinpoche who I didn't learn the name of. I was glad to partially repay the kindness of my hosts by handing out the offerings to all of the people at the end of the last day with Tavis, another teacher. Unfortunatley the planning wasn't the best it could've been so we started off handing out big packets of biscuits, fruit and candy and at the end the offerings had become so scarce we were just handing out handfuls of puffed rice. After Takdah I visited a small town near the bottom of the Himalayan foothills with amazing views of the plains where two teachers, Martha and Fiona are living very happily which I was glad to see. While staying there we were lucky enough to be invited by a tea estate owner to visit his factory and see the bungalow/lodge where couples can stay for 5000Rs a night which didn't seem too much of a steep price after seeing what you get. The house is beautiful with a surrounding garden and beautiful views of the plains and the surrounding tea plantation. The owner was so kind, although I didn't catch his name. He showed us how tea is processed and he even said he did the handwork with sorting the twigs from the leaves everymorning which was nice to hear. Happy Buddha Jayanti to everyone for the most recent full moon. The day celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha and there was a large parade of monks from the monasterys around darjeeling through the town yesterday. The weather in Darjeeling was perfect for it. Hot with a clear blue sky and the full moon shining so bright and clear out of my window in Rimbick once I returned last night.

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Photos

Procession
A Rinpoche arrives to the monastery on the second day of ceremony.

Tea Girls
Two of the volunteers, Missy and Laurie, serving tea to the hundreds of people at the ceremony.

Entrance
Just outside the entrance of the beautifully painted monastery.

Wangchuk Gurung Gurudev Tulku Rinpoche arrives
Masses of people waited at the monastery gate to greet the exhuasted looking Rinpoche who went straight to sleep for about an hour before coming out to give blessings.

Bungalow
Only 5000Rs a night per couple. About 125 NZD

Sitting Room
This is the ssitting room of the bungalow at the tea estate in Gayabari

Tea machine
There were so many machines. I can't remember the purpose of this one.

Tea
The five different finished products of black tea

Puja on Stage
This stage is in the middle of the cental Darjeelign Square, Chowrasta.

Parade 2
hundreds of people carried ancient Dharma books around Darjeeling in the hot sun all day

Parade
Monks from Guru Sakya monastery carry a statue of the Buddha through Darjeeling.