Dear visitors,
It is already mid-June, which means that the Indian monsoon can start at any moment…and believe me…. everything becomes grey and muddy. In fact, it seems that it started last night...! I don’t want to finish like Pinky, Garfield & Co! As I need to renew my visa I use this as an excuse to escape and go back home, to Switzerland, for the summer. But I will come back in September and will continue to feed these pages, with more amusing and useful titbits.
See you then!
OM MANI PADME HUNG…

Little Lhasa of India:
Upper Dharamsala (in fact named MacLeod Ganj) was founded in 1850 by a British lieutenant who was the governor of Punjab. “MacLoo” as locals call it was completely destroyed in 1905 by an earthquake. It lies right on the tectonic plate…
Not much happened in Macleod Ganj until 1960 when the Indian Government accepted the Dalai Lama and other Tibetans as refugees and allowed them to settle in the area. Nowadays, there are more Tibetans than Indians in the town. The Indian authorities have not spent much money on the maintenance of the infrastructures and as a result many of the facilities including the roads and drains have deteriorated over the years. Lately however there has been some improvement in development aid and changes are being seen.
Nevertheless Macleod Ganj is quaint and picturesque with the two or perhaps you can say three streets laid out like a necklace adorned with guesthouses, hotels, restaurants, vegetable stalls and businesses of the Tibetans, Kashmiris and Indians. And yes all the businesses of tour agents and transport operators. Indeed everything that is required to fill the needs of locals and foreigners alike. And difficult as it may be for outsiders to comprehend, there is remarkable efficiency and competency to be found in the town that truly complements the serenity of the local dwellers. In the general confusion of everyday commerce that is commonplace in India, Macleod Ganj is truly unique and a place of refuge for travellers seeking respite from the heat, noise and pollution.

Two exceptional, beloved, spiritual teachers:
The first time I participated in the daily teaching on Tibetan Buddhist philosophy at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives was in 1998 and I did not understand much…I was just amazed and in awe of the Tibetan lama Sonam Richen Rimpoche, and his devoted and loyal British translator, Ruth Sonam and I wondered whether they were...married (!) – Sonam & Sonam... OK, this was in 1998… Since then I understand a bit more. And I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity, since late 2005, to study Buddhist philosophy and also to be here in Dharamsala, and receive so much from these incredible people. Sonam Rinchen Rimpoche and Ruth Sonam have been conducting these classes since 1978! And have seen hundreds of committed students… whose life has certainly been influenced and touched by this two people who complement each other exceptionally well.

Preservation of a ancient heritage:
In 1961, the Dalai Lama inaugurated the Tibetan Medical Institute, the Men-Tsee-Khang, with the aim to preserve, practice and promote ancient traditional Tibetan medicine. About 25 students are enrolled in the 6-year programme of its Tibetan Medicine & Astrological College every year to become either medical doctors or astrologers.
The Pharmaceutical Department conducts research and produces the medicine from plants collected by its specialists in the Himalayas. Over 160 types of medicine are available to the doctors to treat their patients, following a holistic approach. Every year, Tibetan doctors treat about 500,000 patients worldwide.
A tiny beautiful and fascinating museum explains the principles and grounds of the Tibetan medical tradition. Cameras are not allowed in, to preserve the precious ancient paintings…

No Sundays in construction!

In India, many things are still “hand made”, even…houses. Placid donkeys carry on their backs the bricks, cement, sand etc., from the main road to the construction site. Workmen, including… women, do the rest: dig a big hole – for the foundations - and separate the stones from the earth. Carvers then shape the stones into almost perfect cubes, with hammer and pick…the workers then use the cubes to build the whole house! Then, stonemasons will cover the walls with cement and carpenters construct the windows, one by one. Not sure whether the houses are earthquake proof…It will take about a year of incredible efforts to build a three storey house…unless they forgot the plumbing. Yes, it happens! The workers work seven days a week, 10 hours a day and are paid 100 Rupees (2 Euros) a day… and there is no such thing as Sundays and holidays!...The donkeys are better off! Hmmmmmmm Perhaps in my next life that may be a better way to go..

Long life and success to all beings:
Yesterday, there was a beautiful and inspiring ceremony held in one of the Namgyal Temple’s prayer hall. 1000 butter lamps, 1000 water bowls and 1000 incense sticks were offered to a Tibetan female deity - the “Deity of Victory” - so that she ensures a long life to all beings and help them to overcome all obstacles in their either spiritual or their altruistic and beneficial worldly endeavours. Although these rituals are conducted with much solemnity and dedication monks always chant the prayers with an enthusiastic and joyful rhythm. The atmosphere is open and spontaneous.
Many other rituals conducted by lamas and monks are currently taking places in monasteries in Dharamsala to honour various Buddhist “deities”. These archetypes represent the positive qualities that we all, without exceptions, hold in our hearts and minds, like compassion, wisdom, strength, etc. Remember, they do this nor for themselves, but for us all!
Visitors are always warmly welcome to witness the ceremonies.

A real bargain !
“Only 150 Rupees per tooth…” says Mr Singh, who comes from the neighbouring state of Punjab. He is a kind of itinerant “dentist”, with all his specialist’ tools and materials. He comes to Dharamsala for few days every year; to replace missing teeth…
I was wondering who were the previous owners of all the various shapes of teeth heaped on his little temporary stall erected by the street side. “Are they from dead people?” I asked. “Oh no, Miss, they are carved from stone” he said, proudly. “And how do you fix them?” I asked. Mr Singh’s English wasn’t proficient enough to explain this very technical aspect. But he showed me little pots. “Is it glue?” I said. “Yes, to fix teeth”, he answered. An old Tibetan man passed by, stopped and opened wide his almost toothless mouth for him. Mr Singh took a quick look and said “you need 10 teeth: 1500 Rupees”. The old man looked at him intently and said…”a bit too much for me! Not worth it”. He laughed and left.
Fortunately, I did not need Mr Singh’s services. I still have all my teeth intact and I smiled wide to convince him. But who knows…. maybe one day and for 3 Euros? It may well be a bargain !

A hikers’ dream:
The region around Dharamsala offers beautiful walking tracks and is a hiker’s dream. A pine forest that is coloured in red by rhododendrons at spring and inhabited by monkeys, bears and even leopards (!) surrounds the little town. Many paths lead to small tribal villages where rustic farming tradition is still practised by the farmers. This is the foothill of the Himalayas… and just behind us, dominates the magnificent Dhauladhar ranges.

The most hectic, busy and cosmopolitan little square in the world !

Despite its size, hardly 500 square meters, the little square at the entrance of the village is the center of much commerce activity every day, involving locals and foreigners from many countries, all competing for space with vehicular traffic, with dogs and cattle... The square services a bus and taxi stand and is a transit crossroad and bordering a shopping area, a entertainment zone, a food court, a travel agent’s hub, a financial quarter, a police post to name only a few! Of course, everything is typically Indian; colorful, noisy and confusing yet functioning with marvelous efficiency much to the surprise of most visitors.

« We have a very happy feeling… »

«This teaching by His Holiness was very, very beneficial says Rigzang and Nohzom, two Tibetan students who were part of the audience. «His Holiness is truly a compassionate being, understanding our preoccupations and concerns. He shows us how to apply Buddhist thoughts and teachings in our daily lives - how to live in peace. We have a very joyous feeling after this teaching».
It is the first time that the Dalai Lama has given such teachings to Tibetan teenage students from the Tibetan Children’s Village. Today was the last of his 3-days talk, in which he elaborated on various aspects of the Four Noble Truths and the central Buddhist notion of Emptiness.
«The correct understanding of Emptiness naturally leads us to the development of tolerance, compassion, genuine concern for others and the wish to participate in the community in a constructive and altruistic manner »...

At the teaching today, about a hundred young Indian youths from the region joined the already big group of people listening to the teaching outside the auditorium, in front of screens and loudspeakers. Before leaving the compound, His Holiness kindly accepted to have a few pictures taken, of him with the Indian youth. A hectic but joyful moment…and a little nightmare for the security..!

After the teaching, in the auditorium, many young Tibetans paid their respect by prostrating in front of the wall painting of the Potala of Lhasa and the very seat that the Dalai Lama had just left few minutes earlier. Their genuine devotion and respect was truly inspiring.

Dharma must be relevant to contemporary living:

«The practice of dharma⁽¹⁾ should be rooted in understanding, reasoning, analysing and logic instead of in faith and rituals. In that sense, there is a difference between religion and dharma…» This is the message of the Dalai Lama to over two thousand Tibetan teenage-students, this morning, on the first day of his 3-day teaching in the Tibetan Children’s Village, situated in a beautiful pine forest, an hour’s-walk above Dharamsala.
In a profound and inspiring message, the Dalai Lama spoke about the history of Buddhism in Tibet, the uniqueness of Tibetan cultural heritage, the need for the ordained and lay people to study philosophy, the interaction between Buddhism and science and his view that dharma must be relevant to contemporary living.
The Tibetan children's Village runs fifteen schools, with over ten thousand Tibetan students, in different parts of India. It offers a stable and safe environment as well as a complete education curriculum, from primary to college levels, to mainly orphans and new refugees from Tibet.

⁽¹⁾ the Buddhist spiritual path.