You see these steps cut out on a tree log? Buddhists believe if you can walk these from the base to the top without holding on to any support, you will be assured a place in heaven in your after-life.
I took this snap at Jispa, en-route to Ladakh. I did not make much of it then – it seemed a local design for steps going to the roof of the house. I saw this again at the Alchi Gompa (monastery) on the way from Leh to Zanskar and interpreted it as steps going to the upper floor of the temple. And then I overheard a guide telling his clients of the power of these steps to get you a ticket to heaven. All you have to do is climb these in a manner that would be one fine balancing act. It is not as easy as it looks.
No one has confirmed this to me. Nor did I attempt climbing one. Let me look for lesser challenging ways to get to heaven. I am in no hurry anyway.
Tagged as:
Alchi,
buddhist,
Himalayas,
Jispa,
Ladakh,
Stairs
Many Buddhist monasteries in the Ladakh and Tibetan regions have a tradition of annual festivals, going back hundreds of years. They are usually dance spectacles with colourful costumes and masks adorned by the lamas (monks) for the occasion. Solemn ceremonies in their own way, it borders on the amusing when you see them practicing leading up to the big day. Like I was witness to at the Phiyang Monastery near Leh in July 2008 a few days before their festival.
For one, it was an opportunity to see the lamas let their guard down away from public eye and behave just like lesser mortals; they were practising in an area usually not open to outsiders. Before I witnessed these sessions, the image of a lama came across as someone who smiled but did not laugh, one who spoke but did not talk too much and one who always seemed a bit serious about everything. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
buddhist,
festival,
Kashmir,
Ladakh,
lamas,
Leh,
phiyang
The lama at the Phyang monastery in Ladakh who invited me to become a lama myself
On a visit to the Phyang Monastery near Leh, I got an unexpected offer: of becoming a Buddhist monk, or Lama.
I was sitting around with the lamas of the monastery watching them practice for their annual festival when I realized the senior lamas were not hiding behind some invisible walls, keeping all sense of humour and fun away from themselves. But I am sure if I had yes, they would have pursued the task of converting me very seriously. [continue reading…]
Tagged as:
buddhist,
convert,
Ladakh,
lama,
phyang monastery
