on the road again

Whew. So I finally arrived in Majnu-ka-tilla, the Tibetan Refugee settlement in new delhi. The bus i took was first class- so you would think "good"-but they start playing these Balliwood movies at around 8:30/9 and it is really inhumane torture. Imagine three stooges humor, female degradation (as in, "i'm so stupid b/c i'm a woman. I love my husband while he cheats on me. praise god for men"), and old, coreographed music videos. Not to mention- the culture here is really into being white; as in, they have skin whitening cream (sort of like our instant tanner). They also want to be bigger. So... the main guys in these movies are always sort of pudgy, ugly, really white looking guys- like the office nerd.

But aside from balliwood- things are good and but transitional. I met a lot of really amazing people my last few days in McLeod. Some of these people are doing amazing things- starting up NGO's, working w/ the democractic party, studying aryudvedic medicine, etc. I had a great time with all these kids, but at the same time, situations like that always bring up a bit of inner turmoil- really because I think that I want to take off school and come here to study. But of course- semester at sea. I really need to be sure and go into this fall with a positive attitude, b/c right now I want to stay here. AND- the Dalai Lama is teaching August 14-19, but i really don't think I'll have time to get everything together for SAS if I'm only home for four days. :( (this is turning into a journal entry, alas).

I just need to think good thoughts.

What else? I'm leaving for Varanasi at 8:40 tonight. Whee!!!!! I'm meeting here with this really great girl Kathleen who I met a few weeks back here in delhi. It should be pretty fantastic- as well as hottttt and rainy.

You know what sucks? terrorism and ten year olds with bomb threats. There is very little cool shit (for me) in Delhi. There is, however, the red fort- big, old, cool building. However, it has gotten bomb threats for like 3 days- and i picked up the paper the other day (while I was painting that mural- which turned out really well) and the US embassy here has been getting threats and is on high alert. WTF mate? But then again- when is the US not on high alert? Regardless, I'll just be here for a few hours, so it will be fine.

hrm hrm. i think that's it for now. The mural painting was really fantastic- painting w/ enamel under two huge umbrellas while it rained all afternoon. whee!
And speaking of the mural...ta da. The left corner is cut off in this- but I thought I'd throw Raj in the pic for good measure. He's skwinting (how the hell do you spell that?) in the pic- but I wish you good have seen his eyes- like an egyptian. Anyhow- the mural was supposed to be east meets west and the play on how so many kids from the west come here to abandon tv, huge buildings, "life" and find some spiritual otherness. yes.

I'm super happy and India rocks!

Wow- so I have left out a lot.

anyhoo- in the past few weeks we have gone to Tso Pema, a very holy place for Tibetans where Guru Rinpoche was born out of a lotus blossom. I ditched the group for the day and went to monasteries instead; one was having a puja (big day of chanting, mantras, etc.) and another was being repainted, which was amazing to watch b/c I've always been interested in the art. The Gudwara (sp?) there was also amazying- it's a sikh temple. The holy places here are so calm and special- I don't really have a word to describe it. You just feel that you're in a very clean, very ancient, very holy place.

Next we were off to Mandi- as Mimi put it "real india". I had a hard morning being surrounded by suffering, ashen beggar kids- the situation is so terrible sometimes. Later that day, however, these beautiful little girls came running up to me and gave me flowers. They were all ten and spoke english, which they learn in school. I was talking with a friend (a scotsman with the most gorgeous eyes i've ever seen) but when he left I ran to the courtyard to play with them. It was sooooo fun!!!! We ran to the clocktower and to temples; they taught me how to make and offering and then we played something like marco polo.
Eventually, I realized that aside from me and these children, everyone in the courtyard was a man staring at me oddly (westerners usually don't go to mandi- let alone run around for two hours like children). Also- they called me Didi, which means big sister. It was fantastic.

Now: I have left the group once again. The last 4 days of the trip were supposed to entail shopping in Delhi and seeing the Taj mahal in Agra. I stayed here and took an intense two day meditation course. It was amazing!!!! I have also been going to lots of teachings and just got the best massage ever. The meditations were great- but after 6 or so hours a day sitting in half lotus, ones body tends to hurt (a lot). So yeah- McLeod Ganj can be really great. There are so many classes constantly being offered and so much to do . I feel like I've really just settled in; I also realize that it would have been incredibly easy to take off fall semester and remain in India alone. Oh well.



Another cool note: I get to paint!!! on a wall!!! (baby mural) This Danish friend of mine introduced me to Raj, a nepali who just opened a restaurant (Carpe Diem) a few weeks back. It's a really great place; I went there for an open mic session on sunday that rocked my world. Anyhow, he is having artists paint on the walls of the roof where he will eventually have seating and a second kitchen. He provides paint and likely food (he's one of those spirits that is always so generous i wonder if he'll make money. ex- people help him with anyting or are his friends and he gives them free tea, coffee, food, etc. ) He also has really beautiful eyes- really feminine like an egyptian.

So things are great here. The monsoon is pretty intense and sometimes I feel like I'm walking through small rivers. It's also probably the worst time of year to go to Varanasi- but oh well!

hope everyone is well. I'm glowing (mainly b/c the massage was also facial- so I'm covered in almond oil. yum!)


Note on pictures: The first is a huge area of prayer flags near some caves in Tso Pema where hermetic monks and nuns go to meditate for years. There is also a cave nearby where Guru Rinpoche (seen in second picture) meditated for many years. We got to go in and meditate with Neil for awhile- who can chant it up like a Tibetan.

The next two pictures are in Mandi. The first is this ancient temple on the river. We woke up early and went to walk before the sun was out in full force and the fog hung over the river in a perfect sheet.

The last two pics are outside Tushita Meditation center in Dharmcot- which is the village right about McLeod. I think they perfectly exemplify what I was trying to tell my mom: up there, it didn't even feel like India. It was like- the mists of avalon or something. Beautiful.

The mountains

Yesterday we got back from our hike to Triune. It's a baby (still almost 2 miles) in the Himalayas and it's probably the most beautiful place I've ever been. The climb was about four hours up. At the top are two chai shops and two lodges- plus a whole lot of pasture land with water buffalo, cattle, sheep, and donkeys, huge boulders, crows, eagles, and most importantly- clouds. The coulds are everywehre- above you- below you- then they swallow the moutain.


One family in particular are friends with Neil- they run one of the chai shops. Sunil is the main guy; his mother is weathered and strong. This beautiful indian woman with few teeth- bindis- bright but tattered clothes- hikes all over this mountain touting loads of grass on her back that are probably 100 pounds- size wise a small person. She also makes the most amazing noises to call all the animals. Then there is Tickaloo- a 15 year old who puts american teens to shame. We would order dinner- a big group meal of dahl- and he cooks for everyone on one stove for hours. They can all run over these mountains so quickly. Tickaloo also make a dijerido (sp??/) out of PVC piping and it sounds awesome.

So yes- the mountain was a spectacular break from city life and people. It makes me want to trek through the Himalayas (more).

thats all for noww :)


Note on pictures: The first is a little shrine to Shiva. They are everywhere on the mountain paths. I find it interesting, also, the split iconography of cultures. ex- The trident is a symbol of Shiva, and many of his followers use red and orange. As a result, these little shrines may simply be stone structures with red paint altars and tridents-- sound a little different to a westerner? yeah, but they were beautiful. This last one is just mountain goats. They were all over, and Sunil's mom can heard them quickly using some of the strangest noises I've ever heard.

not so bad

So I believe my last post was likely a bit disheartening, but india isn't so bad. I went back and got drum lessons from swindly drum boy, and I actually love it and I'm really glad I'm finally learning to play.

and yeah- to anyone actually reading this we are really far away from Mumbai/Bombay and the train bombings. aka: i'm fine.

Today I'm leaving for a hike up to Triune- it's about five hours ending in being really high up and really cold. Should be spectacular.

I think the temple here is so far my favorite part. The streets are like malls but worse, and since i don't really like even going to malls, it gets a bit tiring. But the temple is so quiet and peaceful and in the morning the monks all pray for hours if you wake up early enough to hear them. The Tibetan people are also very beautiful. Maybe it's lots of good karma- they have high cheek bones and golden skin and the old women are always so kind and happy.

Ten ruppee (20 cent) momo's (dumplings) are also high on my list. yum. next post I will try to put up pictures.

sickness and swindlers

so i suppose living in the clouds has its down points- like everyone having a cold because you are always damp. There are also ameobas in the water. eek. Also, I spent far too much on a slighty cool bongo drum that I bought from some greasy well dressed kid from Varanasi. damnit. I have always wanted to learn how to play drums, so now I will.

got to go

Dreams

Hello beautiful friends!

I am unsure as to how to post pictures at this moment, so you will be left with only my words. I am in McCloud Gounj (sp?) now and it is the most beautiful place I have ever been. We are two miles up and in the clouds-literally.





We stayed in Delhi for three nights in what was (according to some) sort of a slum- but I thought it was great. It was a packed tibetan regugee colony. There aren't really roads, just alley ways. You think its raining- but really its the air conditioners dripping.







Delhi is a city of birds. The crows were everywhere- all over the hotel--which was covered in prayer flags. Yes, the city was dirty and polluted, but it was great. I imagine New Orleans being much the same in a few hundred years--except minus the intense religious influence.









cool points thus far:

-sihk temple- no shoes- flower chains- music/prayer
-ba'hai temple-shaped like a lotus- pools of clean water and full of birds (below)
-Tashi-one of our guides and LHA workers- is great and very friendly
-this entire town (completely gorgeous)
-the dalai lama's birthday in delhi- there was a big party with many different sets of women and children dancing- one little girl loved me and kept sitting on my lap and giving me her hair barrets- tashi asked her if i was her mom, she said 'no , my sister' :D There were flower chains everywhere and afterward I ate with the tibetans and indians celebrating
-Lahmo is the woman i am working with on her english- I just met ehr today but she's great- and a yogi :)

Dharamsala is filled with classes- learn massage, get massage, learn yoga, learn reiki, get acupuncture-or acupressure, play the sitar, etc, etc... The sun rises at 5:30 or earlier- and I must say it's far better to be up for that and enjoy this place during the day.

what else? so much. I suppose the beggars are difficult to deal with- only because there are so many- but what it costs to give to them translates to almost nothing for me
--I suppose it is just a lesson in my own humanity.

hope everyone is well --- much love -- me


note on pictures: first is really basic of McLeod from our hotel roof. The sunset picture is of the Yamuna River; it runs through Delhi and Agra as well (where the Taj is). That photo was taken from our hotel balcony. The other was just a picture of a rooftop in Majnu-ka-tilla. I loved the cramped, dingy buildings all covered in prayer flags. The last is the Ba'hai temple.