The Iron Master

Wednesday 2nd June 

12:55pm 

Tenyang Coffee House, Temple Road, McLeod Ganj

So yesterday after leaving this same cafe I went down to the hill toward the library and got to parathas for dinner from the tea shop/hut/cafe on the way. I got half way to the library then turned around and spent a couple of hours on the internet. 

I met a guy called James in the tea hut who was getting his bike fixed next door. We talked for 20 minutes about Buddhism and our experiences in India. 

Managed to do Monday's Sudoku in the Tribune yesterday after drawing out the grid in my notebook. Read several stories from Monday's papers I'd previously missed. 

Spoke to Liz, the woman in the dormitory room next to me at the monastery about the Dalai Lama's teachings. 

This morning, day two of the teachings, couldn't have gone any better. Despite rumours of ill health the Dalai Lama was there and stuck around until midday. The translation into English was being broadcast from the start. 

Some really good stuff was discussed and some great analogies used to help listeners comprehend things. I took my camera and got some great photographs - I hope. 

Saw a German woman I'd met the day before and also bumped into some girls I had previously met in Lumbini and at the Dalai Lama's residence on Buddha's birthday. It was nice sharing the teachings with them. 

Today I think I'll make it to the library, maybe photocopy the crosswords and/or copy the sudoku. Then I'll have to face the other quandary of what to have for dinner. I'm thinking momos to accompany my curd, or bananas. A little chocolate might not go a miss either. 

Feel really great after having attended the Dalai Lama's teachings and picked up some positive things. During the teaching I found a quiet spot and scribbled some notes while eating slices of brown bread. 

More Old Soldiers than One

Tuesday 1st June 2010

12.45pm

Tenyang Coffee House

So I woke up by 5.30am and by 6.30am I was on my way up the steps to head to his holinesses teachings. It meant I got no newspapers today in the morning and they were all gone when I returned after 12.

I was at the TCV very early. I meandered in the school grounds for an hour watching the general calamity as hundreds of school children gathered outside the main hall waiting to go inside to where the Dalai Lama would talk.

Around 8.30am me and some other travellers tried to enter the main hall but to no avail as expected. Before we headed to the basketball court area, which had a TV and a large canopy to protect people from the sun, we saw the Dalai Lama arrive. His motorcade sped up to the main building coming towards us along one side of the wide sandy playground.

As he walked from the door of his car to the entrance to the main hall he made some kind of traditional offering that seemed to involve throwing some rice of some kind. He had a chirpy face and on either side of him security guards watched, another person held up a large yellow umbrella to protect him from the sun while behind him a few monks or aides followed.

Lining the way into the building were two lines of school girls each with long black hair and all wearing the same as the other, a long green traditional dress with rainbow coloured apron. When the first car of the motorcade arrived they all in unison began to sing and continued for 10 minutes or so until the Dalai Lama was all the way inside the hall and duly followed him in singing as they went.

When he left I watched him from my birds eye view as he ambled back to his car. He took questions on human rights for Tibetan women and the ordination process, perception, dependent origination and emptiness. Also the teaching of the Tibetan language in China and India and the preservation of culture. 

I am thoroughly looking forward to tomorrow! 

On getting back to the town after a slow walk, I found all the papers were gone. So bought some candy and my bus ticket to Delhi. I leave Sunday evening at 6.30ish (be at the bus terminal by 6). Tonight I'll have another bash at the Sudoku that beat me yesterday and the crossword. Why not. 

Between now and then more tea and the internet. 

I hope the translation works of begins from the start tomorrow. Hmmm I may go to the library for an hour. The radio was a good investment, it'll come in useful during the world cup. I love radios. 

Perhaps I'll write a little more tonight. 

It was nice that a lot of what I heard at the teaching was mostly a lot of stuff I've read about during my time at the library. That was pleasing. I felt I could connect with what was being discussed. 

Sharpshooters

Monday 31st May 2010
10:30pm
My bed at the Dip Tse Chokling Monastery

So I've got my FM radio, water and my bread and am all set to go to the 1st day of a 3 day teaching by the Dalai Lama tomorrow. Spent 190 rupees on the radio, worth it I think. 9am TCV.

Went to the library this afternoon half-heartedly but did some worthwhile reading. I've was excited heading back to the monastery after I picked up the radio.

Got 2 parathas for dinner which, coming from a different hole in the wall cafe tasted a little different but good. Ate curd, raisins and biscuits. One Diet Pepsi.

This morning I bumped into Tensing. It was good to see him and we talked over a chai. He has a special pass for tomorrow as the teaching will be aimed at Tibetan Students. Many of them Tensing tells me have travelled from far away parts of India for the chance to hear him talk.

Had an urgent need to shit in the woods earlier. No idea why.

After acquiring some official information on the teachings after seeing Tensing I bought a loaf of brown bread, visited a local temple that had no toilet and read Vanity Fair for an hour on a hillside after relieving myself in a secluded wooded area.

I read some interesting stuff about colonialism and Buddhism.

Did the TOI sudoku, stuffed up the Tribune one. Both crosswords were tough though my mind was a little distracted this evening in anticipation of tomorrows teachings.

Saw a jar of mango chutney, 73 rupees.

Today the skies were blue and the sun hot.

Today I withdrew cash for the first time since I was in Kathmandu one month ago.

Will try and get online tomorrow and also book my coach ticket to Delhi.

Need to wash some clothes soon too.

Recently bought a small pot of honey for 25 rupees that I should use.

I'm hoping for a good day tomorrow

The FM radio is needed to listen to the translation of what the Dalai Lama says, without it would almost not be worth going at all.

Around me everyone leaned in close to get a good view. Everyone snapping away except me. One rule about attending a teaching is no cameras.

I befriended a Swiss guy who I gave me e-mail address and he said he'd send his pictures in a few weeks. I hope he comes good. Basically the only tight security was at the entrance to the main hall and around the Dalai Lama himself. You could easily come and go from the school with a camera or a gun and no one would know.

My radio came good. Easily tuned into the FM frequency. But no translation but it seemed many people were downhearted. I was sat under a canopy in the basketball court watching the TV pictures from inside the hall. Everything was in Tibetan. Many foreigners after 30 minutes seemed to slope away. Some stayed. Generally there was plenty of room for everyone.

The broadcast could be picked up where ever you roamed in the grounds.

On the verge of leaving I tired the radio one more time, while I was heading to the gate with only a freely distributed book in Tibetan to show.

Fantastically the translation had begun. The teaching had started at 9am with the translation kicking in around 10.15am. So I sat on some steps overlooking the main hall and the motorcade on the edge of the large sand playground and listened to my hearts content. I was fully revived and fulfilled until the end of the proceedings around 11.20am.

At which point the Dalai Lama said he'd return tomorrow if his health prevailed. I hope it does. I'll take my camera.

Mrs. Snagsby Sees It All

Sunday 30th May 2010

11:20am

Up a mountain with a great view, all alone, McLeod Ganj

India

The Dalai Lama will teach here at the Tibetan Children's Village at 9am on Tuesday morning. I really really really want to be there. Someone at the monastery told me he'd do a teaching in the next week and I found out the details on his official website the details. As a precaution I'll go to his branch security office in advance just in case I need to register. 

Just before beginning to write this I cracked, at the second time of asking, the latest really really hard Sudoku from the Tribune. I sketched out the grid again in this notebook and sat on this rock for 45-60 minutes doing it. 

Much of the past two days I've spent in the library hiding in part from the vicious rain storms. On Friday night and Saturday morning there were long heavy downpours. 

Got my head shaved. Number 2 all over. I asked for a number 3 but the guy didn't have the clip. He gave me a head and should massage for an extra 10Rs (40Rs in total). I feel much refreshed at having the cut. 

E-mailed a girl I met in Kathmandu by chance, who I had previously met in Darjeeling, turns out she is here in McLeod too. But we just haven't bumped in to each other yet.

From my regular tea stall from between McLeod Ganj and the library I yesterday bought two big parathas, which are like giant nan breads and quite doughy and soft. Lovely texture. I had some chilli which came with them but chucked it away, too hot! Meanwhile the mango pickle I bought out of curiosity was putrid. There is no good mango chutney here.

I saw Syv, the French girl doing Japanese dance on Friday morning at the tea stall near the library. She's shaved her head again, even shorter than before.

Doing lots of library reading but not enough from my own books. Might get something new and a few small gifts next week. Used the internet today.

Am feeling quite excited about the week ahead. My last abroad before returning to the motherland after 3 years. Would like to visit the British Museum on the day I have in London, and go for a stroll in one of the parks.

I never, last Friday, went back to Bhagsu about the 'Jewels', it's all gone and forgotten. Enjoying reading about the build-up to the world cup online and in the papers here.

Today is bright and sunny and reflects how I feel.

Haven't bumped into Tensing yet, not for a while.

Feeling a little guilty about all the biscuits I've been eating lately, might opt for some plain crackers instead.

Some new people have moved to the monastery, Americans. I can here them talking at night through the walls. Perhaps staying in a hotel might be better for them to follow their habits as they seem to be smoking and drinking a lot and it's not cigarettes they are smoking either.  They do however have great musical bowls which are popular here. You hit the of them and a ringing sound reverberates around and around for ages.

Did contemplate a few days in Delhi but happy enough here and when I think of Delhi I just think of a big smelly chaotic city 40+.