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Dawa has just come back. Pretty much schnokered.
It’s a custom - if your glass is empty they fill it and
Dawa’s glass was empty a lot. "No" does not seem to be
part of the vocabulary that is used. Being the prodigal
son, the rice wine or apple brandy flowed freely.
Dawa wanted us to stay a little longer and I must admit to
having a couple of glasses myself. And again, off to
his grandmother’s house with the realization that this
would cap it, we were here for the night.
The Lama of the village Gompa was at the house and he
invited me up to the Monastery. It is a short walk of
about twenty minutes up the cloud shrouded ridge above the
village. The trail, as is most, is steep and winds it’s
way through the forest canopy covered in mist. No
worry about leaches here, we are out of range.
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The monastery complex consists of the temple and twenty seven
student and monk quarters, supporting about thirty people.
When we
arrived the Lama was in the Gompa and invited us in. Shoes and
especially leather ones are not allowed in the temples, and as I was
bending down to remove my leather boots, he quickly motioned to me
that it was okay to leave them on. I still hesitated fearful
of offending (damned if I do and damned if I don’t) but Dawa quickly
grabbed my hand and pulled me in. |
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The monastery was not large, perhaps forty feet square, with
high walls which were covered with paintings and cloth of
rich colors. Wooden benches with pillows offering a
place to sit were on both sides of the room. Opposite the
door the alter, with lit candles was at the foot of the
Buddha which towered above. Dawa having removed his shoes
prostrated himself before the Buddha and offered his thanks
and his prayers. Then this kindly man, in his late
fifties, with a friendly smile allowed me an audience and
chanted and played the drum and cymbal. As his
resonant voice undulated his mantras and the drum and cymbal
offered the counter melody, they echoed their history off
the dark walls. Here was old Nepal, untouched by
Western influence. |
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The
Quick Way to Arrive In Lukla |
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Page 31 |
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