I was woken today, as I was yesterday, by what I thought were crows making very uncrowlike sounds. A kind of screeching mantra that I have finally figured out are monkeys saying their morning prayers. Ed woke up feeling really miserable, so we asked the hotel for doctor. The front desk recommended Dr. Marwal, and said he could cure anything. We walked to the clinic to see Dr. Marwal, who examined Ed and gave him some medicines that have made him much more comfortable. Dr. Marwal’s clinic was maybe 10’ x 15’, but he spoke perfect English and was warm and sympathetic. His charge for the examination and the medicine: 450 rupees, or $9.
After the doctor, we strolled through town. I bought a skirt and an ankle bracelet with bells on it, which I love. And we visited a Tibetan rug factory, one of the Dalai Lama’s projects. We are staying in upper Dharamasala, or McLeod Ganj as it is called.
Tibetan woman
This is the very heart of the Tibetan exile community. Indeed, we can see the Dalai Lama’s compound from the terrace of our hotel, which is itself a branch of the Norbulingka Institute. Most of the people in McLeod Ganj are Tibetan. They look very different from the Indians. Their faces are so strong and so interesting and so filled with experience. The older people are chiseled, wind-whipped, deeply lined. The younger ones look happy, hopeful, and already wise. There are also monks and nuns everywhere, shaved, and wrapped in
Tibetan man buying sandals
their saffron robes. I feel like I’m on a studio tour, and this is the set of a period film about Tibet. We also visited the Dalai Lama’s temple, which was actually something of a shock, in that it was very small, very simple, unadorned, similar to many of the roadside temples we see so many of. Not at all
Weaving a rug
like the Karmapa’s magnificent temple. In fact, it wasn’t even as impressive as the temple in the monastery in
Shearing a rug
Woodstock where Ed’s teacher Rimpoche lives. But the simplicity of his temple actually, made me love the Dalai Lama even more. This April is the 50th anniversary of the Chinese takeover of Tibet. Is it possible it has been that long? When will Tibet be free? What will happen when the Dalai Lama dies? He is 74. The Chinese will certainly try to appoint a new Dalai Lama, but how long will it be before the high lamas identify his real reincarnation? Sometimes it is many years before a high high lama’s reincarnation is found. And what will happen in the meantime? Who will carry the torch? It is so sad.
Free Tibet
