Sunday was such an incredible day and one that I will always carry with me for the rest of my life. Before I left on my hike the previous day, one of the monks invited me to join in prayer on Sunday. He informed me that they would start at 2am due to the Tibetian New Year! Also His Holiness the Dalai Lama (HHDL) would be holding a prayer ceremony at his temple at 7am! I couldn't believe he was here, what are the chances!
I set my alarm at a reasonable time, 4:45am. I woke up extremely groggy so i ran into a freezing cold shower without thinking to try and wake myself up. I opened the door to my room to what felt like a bass reverberating in the back of a car. OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, OMMMMMMMM. Imagine that, pitch black, lanterns lit and all you can hear is OMMMMMMM echoing through the valley. I stopped and faced over the valley with my arms outstretched and the sound at my back just feeling the energy and power. It was amazing.
I quietly snuck into the back of the temple with my shoes off and sat as the monk had told me to do. I imitated all of their movement and sounds, but at a much quieter level as to not stand out. I wish I took pictures, but they were not allowed for the ceremony. Monks also don't really enjoy cameras. They allowed them, but you can tell it makes them uncomfortable. They believe that if you look into the camera, it will steal your soul....
I sat in session until 630 when everyone broke for breakfast. I sat as one at a long bench cross legged on the ground. I ate a bowl of oatmeal and then followed all of them up the HHDL's temple for another prayer ceremony. This time only monks were allowed in the temple so myself and the rest of the town sat quietly in the courtyard listening. After the ceremony, when HHDL came out to address the crowd, I would say 2/3rds of the people were in tears. Some were hysterical. This was their living deity and you definitely got that sense. Kind of the way we Americans treated MJ.
HHDL spoke in Tibetian, but just being there with his people was incredible. Again, no cameras were allowed. Upsetting, but also nice to know that only memories and personal accounts can capture these experiences. They are supremely special and should be experienced first hand. The feeling is indescribable.
After the ceremony, I packed up my stuff at the Monastary and gave the Monk rs1,000, which is about $20USD. That is unheard of. Probably the equivalent of me giving a guy at a motel 6 500 bucks for one night. The room usually rented for $2 a night, but I wanted to thank them for such an incredible experience and they were genuinely appreciative. It seemed kind of contradictory to thank a monk in dollars, but I guess there were mouths to feed and bills to pay.
McLeod Ganj was an experience. An experience and a weekend that was filled with positives. The whole ride back to Delhi I had a huge smile on my face. I also didnt use any soap when showering here so I stunk when my driver DP picked me up from the airport. I told him I had a fantastic weekend. He was confused. He thought I had been hit by a bus or kidnapped or fell down the mountain by the looks of me. That is saying a lot if someone in India says you don't smell good........
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