The Greatest Trekkers of the World-
Faith in Buddhism and
Monasteries.
The idea of trudging up the three hundred odd stairs to the
monastery after a four day trek in the parched Zanskar , in Ladakh .did not seem very inviting. It is believed by the learned Lamas like Tashi in Buddhist monasteries, high up at 3600 meters or 12000 feet, that the monasteries are perched high above overlooking the
villages so that the blessings are flown down to each and every house around. in the villages .
On the
long and tiring climb to the monastery called Lamayuru gompa , one hundred and twenty kilometres from Leh , Tashi , the Lama of the above monastery, kept chanting OM MANI PADMEHUM meaning Hail, Jewel in the Lotus. The incantation reverberates across the worn out staircase. The Lama only stopped for a moment, when he took some minutes next to the time battered Chorten for the person he had gone to cure. A Chorten is a resting place for the monk after he attains Moksha or Salvation. It is a home to the high Monks of the past. The faith is that their presence keeps the other Lamas and Villagers living now guarded from evil.
Tasha, the Lama, who had a few devoted
guests during the arduos climb to the monastery had informed them about the faith in Chorten. He has just returned from a 47 km journey to the Monastery after trudging across 3 mountain passes all more than 4000 meters long to Photoksar a cluster of 14 houses precariously nested in the region of Zanskar having vast land areas visible only with a brown hue. He had walked 3 days to ease the suffering of a fever struck resident of the remote Hamlet with a bag of Holy Tsampa which is a Lama’s staple diet made of Barley for the ill. One of the guests of Lama, seeing him a bit tired offered him aspirin from his First aid Kit which the Lama has politely refused and said that if Buddha wants the ill to be cured, the Tsampa will suffice with enormous faith reflecting on his saintly face.
Dusting is Robe the saintly Tasha said faith is a healer. The land is dry but Lamayuru is green with Blessings, he said. His chanting did not stop until a tolling of a bell sounded across the almighty mountains signaling that it was time for evening prayers. The Lama had a small room at the top of 1100 year old monastery which surprised his guests staring in awe out of the window of the room. The unreasonably cold wind blowing from the mountain slopes broke the timeless silence. The evening fog disappeared and the temperature fell drastically. Trans Himalayan landscape revealed the scenario colors and power.
Life at 3600 m cannot be easy. Still the Monks maintain the congeniality, Humor and serenity. The Lamas in the monastery accepting the rigors of nature where food, water and oxygen are scarce commodities they still have patience and dedication to cure villagers in the villages down the hill. In turn the devoted villagers have divine regard for the monastery and its Lamas and offer them food and fuel. They also clean the monasteries and decorate Gompa before the festivals.
The Lamas initiation comes very early in life at 3 yrs of age. Beleivers in Buddhism devote the first son of the family to the faith.Long hours of praying, lessons on Buddhism, duties of washing utensils, clothes and cleaning the monastery leaves little Lamas with hardly anytime and energy. The winters are 8 months long with temperatures reaching -400 C. the monks spend the toughest days of their lives medidating to stay warm or inscribing “OM MANI PADME HUM” on the rocks to preserve their faith. In difficult times they chant the incantation to calm the Soul.
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