The Golden Temple, the holiest site for over 30 million people and the 5th largest religion in the world, was certainly a sight to behold . How many rupees for non-Sikhs to enter such an incredible attraction, you might ask? Well no worries, I have an answer: zero. You might also ask how much it costs to stay directly across the street from the temple. I have an answer for that too: zero. Ok, ok, how much does it cost to eat any number of meals a day at any hour? Yet again: zero. You're probably thinking, "Dirty communist hippies all eating and living together for free and you have your meals and make piles of 'ort' to compost and everyone smells terrible." Well you're probably actually not thinking that at all, but that's ok because you'd be pretty wrong if you were. All travelers receive rooms at the free hostel where you can lock away your belongings and sleep without being stared at or touched for having blonde hair and blue eyes (luckily I have no such problem with my poop-colored hair and poop-colored eyes, but some of the others suffer from chronic White-Bread America Syndrome). Most Sikhs making the pilgrimage will receive soft sleeping pads, blankets, and pillows, and they will sleep in rows in the open courtyard. The rooms aren't much different--sleeping pads, pillows, blankets, pretty packed together. In terms of food, all one must do for food is take off your shoes, cover your head, and walk into an extremely large, multi-story dining hall where people hand you a plate, bowl, and spoon, and you sit in long rows while others walk by and fill your plate. The interesting--and surprising--thing is that the process includes the feeling of personal connection. In fact, the man who pours the delicious lentil concoction into one's plate stopped when I covered that section of the plate signaling that I wanted no more; he told me with a grand smile that I needed to eat and to move my hand. When I attempted protest, he was having none of it.
Paola phrased it in the best way: "This place has restored my faith in humanity ." The free hostel which, by the way, contained some of the nicest shower facilities I've seen this entire trip, runs wholly on donations. The dining hall runs only on volunteering and donations. The most amazing thing is that there is no exclusion: people of all creeds, religions, nationalities, 'castes', socio-economic stati, etc., may come, stay, eat, and enter the temple for free. Upon researching, Paola and I found that one of Sikhism's main tenets is not just to promote but to fight for the equality of all people--the dissolution of disenfranchisement, the eradication of racism, and the destruction of caste distinctions.
We--all of humanity--stand to learn a great deal from Sikh principles.
--Giovanni
PS. Unlike our dear Paige, I am not much of a photographer; I only have a few photos of the temple and surrounding complex, but don't worry, all your children are alive and well and they look spectacular about 90% of the time .
Meditation Course at Tushita in Dharamsala (McLeod Ganj), India (Nov. 7 to 14):
This past week me and my team spent in silence at the Introduction to Buddhism meditation retreat at Tushita. It was a very very incredible experience in which I learned a lot about Buddhism, as well as about myself. Between the notes that I took from the teachings, and all of my thoughts, I filled an entire journal. I definitely hope that I'll be able to come back here some day, or maybe visit another monastary somewhere else in the world!
Things I Like About Buddhism:
- We are not told that this is 'the way' and 'the only way'. In fact, we are told to be skeptical and check things out for ourselves, to see if they fit.
- It's all about truth, compassion and love.
- Karma encourages you to do good things.
- Mindfulness and awareness are key.
- All that is wanted is the end to suffering.
- The idea that everything exists dependently.
- We are required to pay close attention to our intentions.
- Our idea of 'reality' is really just a projection of our minds. Attachment to these ideas we create result in us (and others in many cases) suffering. We have the ability to recognize that we do not know the true reality of things and therefore are able to prevent suffering due to attachment.
- Prostrating (bowing down) to the statues of Buddha or the teachers isn't actually bowing down to the Buddha or the teachers, it's bowing down to the enlightened mind and the teachings. "Look at it like a dipper: It won't fill up unless you lower it into the water". It's opening ourselves up to the ideas and teachings.
- Faith with reason is a very important factor.
- Within Buddhism there is something for everyone.
- It's about your mind, your meditation, your own experience.
- It's a search for happiness, not only your own but everyones.
- There's debate if it's even considered a religion.
- Meditation is a way to look into yourself for explanation and happiness.
- There is no judgment.
- There is recognition that acting out your negative emotions of reacting in negative ways are not good things to do.
- Observation of your thoughts lead to clarity.
- You don't need to believe in anything to have results from meditation, just like you don't need to believe in anything to get results from lifting weights.
- You're encouraged to step out of your shoes and look from another perspective.
- Trying to understand the reality of other people, with compassion, is very important. We should prevent ourselves from acting in anger, but we should not hold other people to this same standard. Instead we should act with compassion.
- The coldness and the coziness of bundling up.
- The one girl with the ridiculous giggle that broke the silence so many times
- There are so many stars and they are so bright!
- The lovely Australian lady that sat next to me in the gompa.
- How almost everyone is so sick and coughing and making meditation almost impossible because its so hard to concentrate.
- The sound of our voices chanting the mantras.
- Breakfast - porridge, biscuits and bananas. Lunch - dahl, rice and vegetables. Dinner - soup and biscuits.
- Lemon ginger tea, chai, hot milk and black tea served all day, every day!
- The monkeys stealing food during our meals and watching us do yoga on the rooftop.
- The earthquake that woke me up one night at 2 am and scared the pants off me.
- The gong waking us up every morning.
- The world in a nutshell: people from all over the world and all different ages.
- The power of meditation.
-Paige
The monkeys out here are absolutely hilarious! I was able to observe their social interactions and mannerisms as I did yoga on the roof. The roof happens to be one of their main social places at Tushita, made evident by the alarming noise they make during our meditation/teaching lessons . I watched monkeys eat branches, jump through the obstacle course of trees, perform flips off of the balcony, and curiously discover edible munchies from their private parts. It was so entertaining that I could barely focus on my yoga moves. There was an even funnier moment that involved a monkey, however, that occurred today at lunch. It was basically a war between monkeys and humans over food. The monkeys would use guerilla warfare tactics and snipe from overhead or off of trees. We used advanced weaponry, such as plastic chairs, brooms, and silverware, to ward off the spontaneous attacks. Not to mention that we had our very own rock catapulter, a small Tibetan man with phenomenal aim. It was definitely a close battle, and a couple of times I seriously considered picking up my plates and taking refuge in the safety of the dining hall. The humans, however, did end up the victors and only lost one apple in the battle.
-Kathleen
Home Stays with Tibetan Families in Dharamsala (McLeod Ganj), India (Nov . 14 to 20):
A group of 14 Westerners were assembled, partly surrounded by a semi-circle of middle aged Tibetan women (and a few men), on a small terrace in McLeod Ganj. Momma C began dividing us up to join our new home stays. My new host mother was all smiles, and the way she and her uncle entertained and played with her twins would light up your heart. By those, you would probably never guess that just five years ago she walked alone over and through the Himalayas, across the Tibetan border risking death by disease, death by hunger, death by hypothermia, and death by Chinese border security. You would probably never guess that she can no longer contact her parents or eight siblings and hasn't been able to for three years. You would probably never guess that she will most likely never see her home again. You might also never guess that her uncle, a man of 79 years, spent 24 years in a Chinese prison being tortured just because he was a monk. Mothers are all the same; they just want the best for their kids, right?
I love you, Ma!
--Giovanni
Wow I don't know how I'm going to follow Giovanni ... I am having a fantastic time in my home stay here in McLeod-Ganj! It has been my favorite week of the trip actually. My home stay family is amazing and incredibly kind and understanding. My home stay mother has taught me how to make delicious Roti, knit socks, and deal with spotty electricity all while dealing with a very energetic and destructive two year old! Every morning we get up at 6 to start getting Tenzin ready for creche. It takes a lot of work and a lot of Nickelodeon to get him out the door. I am constantly amazed by my Amala (Mother in Tibetan).
The most amazing part of this week has been the opportunity to learn about the issues facing Tibet and Tibetans. I was lucky in my home stay placement because it turns out that Amala's brother was the former president of the National Democratic Party of Tibet. He is now starting an NGO called the Tibetan Social Service. I had the opportunity to talk to him at length and do a bit of work for him in his office in the afternoons. Between talking to him, a talk at the Students For a Free Tibet, and watching Cry of the Snow Lion, this week has been extremely educational . I have realized that being born in the west, just the simple act of being born, gives me power and a voice. With great power comes great responsibility and I intend to use my power to give others a voice.
-Katherine
I could see myself living in Mcleod-Ganj. The mountains here (they are only foothills really) are astoundingly beautiful. You can walk down temple road to the Dalai Lama's temple and to your left you will see hotels and craft shops and to your right you are gazing off of a cliff and you can see for miles and miles -- you can see over lower Dharamsala and to all the plains beyond. Yesterday (the 18th) we hiked to a lookout above the small town and looked up for the first time at the mountains we will soon find ourselves surrounded by, the effect was stunning.
The town itself is crazy. There are houses piled on houses, built on top of hotels and all of them are painted in bright clashing colours . To find your way to the house I am staying at you have to go down the steep overgrown stone steps past the school (where we have been volunteering -- Painting mostly), then you have to take a left across the foot bridge, take a right at the yellow building with the red pipes, stumble down a set of stairs until they end, follow the dirt path around the tree then jump the small ravine and follow another set of stairs to the gate, then the house is the third alcove on the left... And that's the easy way to get there!
I cannot say enough about the people here. The Tibetan community in exile is one of the most caring and driven groups of people I have ever met. I'm sure some of the others will share their families' stories, but I have no doubt that almost every person living in this tiny town has had their share of hardships in the past 50 years. It has been my great pleasure to meet, live and work beside these amazing people and I truly wish them the best in their ongoing struggle. And I'm certain all of us here will -- in some small way -- continue to promote and support their continued fight for independence . It's the least we can do.
- Patrick Peachey Higdon
Dharamsala has been a spectacular and well-timed breath of fresh air. Just as I was beginning to get a little travel-weary, we arrived here in a wonderful town with an inspiring story, beautiful natural surroundings, and welcoming home stay families. We have all done our best to make the most of our days here, learning about the struggles of Tibetan exiles in India and around the world. My favorite day so far (which will almost certainly be rivaled by seeing the Dali Lama tomorrow) was the day I walked to a nearby town to visit Dal Lake, a local attraction which is reputedly sacred to followers of Lord Krishna. I was expecting to see people bathing in the holy (and frigid) water, but understandably they preferred sitting on the sunny verandas of the cafes which ringed the lake. It is nice to see a more relaxed side of the Hindu culture - not only were many people on holiday and enjoying time with family, but the atmosphere in general was serene and I spent a pleasant afternoon reading and people watching . As I began the trek back down to Dharamsala, the local school was let out and the street was flooded with Tibetan and Indian students of all ages. They laughed and played jokes on each other, some looking at me curiously but most completely absorbed in their own lives. Although I was an outsider, the situation was quite familiar and I was reminded of my own life as a student just a few short months ago. In that moment, I really had a sense of how adolescence is the same everywhere, despite all the topical differences that appear so important in the beginning.
-Kajsa
2025-02-15