Lamayuru. Drikung Kagyu and perfectly common people
There is a big monastery and surrounding village of Lamayuru in about hundred kilometers from Leh.
Local guest houses look rather like a sand hole in the ground but if one manages to overcome the fear and enter inside then one can see absolutely decent rooms with beds covered by red carpets. Seeing you for the first time the guest house mistress is sticking out her tongue every second according to an old tibetan custom. She shows that the tongue is pink which means that its owner is not a demon.
There is an unpretentious prayer wheel right next to guesthouse. It is painted with the same dye as the postbox.
Children here hardly would ever get inferiority complex caused their parent’s endless complaining about dirty spots on children clothes. And they are wearing hats with Tibetan flag from the smallest age.
Hardly anybody here would ever get inferiority complex. It’s not something within the range of Tibet or Buddhism. Never the less extreme poverty everybody here is calm and satisfied. They are counting their beads and the only thing they would ask is some money for the photograph taken.
It could be that according to their own measurement they all live quite well. Though these are true ruins in the eyes of an ordinary tourist.
It’s clear what people usually eat within this ruins: meat, milk and tsampa (fried barley flour), eggs. But what those who give this meat, milk and eggs eat themselves is a big question.
They are browsing throughout the streets utilizing products waste and eating up drying clothes. This is general sight throughout all India.
There are sun batteries and buddhist flags on the roofs. Mountains are on the horizon. This is simple Ladakhi life.
But in return the ratio of buddhist stupas for one living soul is approaching one to one or at least one to two.
Local stupas have distinctive striped tops.
Local Garudas are distinctively minimalistic.
Local cliffs are coloured slightly pearl. As it’s in Sikkim.
There are houses for practicing in long retreats on the very top.
On the bottom, near the very beginning there is an expensive hotel for tourists and well-off pilgrims.
The first are hoping for nearest Enlightenment and the latter are promised hot sawyer or, posslibly, shower.
According to a guide of the monastery hotel’s wall there are two caves on its territory. One of Guru Rinpoche and another is Naropa’s. We were unable to find the first one and as some informed people say it’s not there at all. But the latter is located inside a "cupboard" in the main gompa. Women are allowed everywhere, it’s nice. Moreover there is a sword adorned with numerous bracelets which must have been offered to it by numerous female visitors. Going to Lamayuru, don’t forget to buy a beautiful bracelet, it would be pleasant to offer it.
And everything else is just as usual. Monks’ houses.
Multileveled monastery’s architecture.
Prayer wheel by the entrance. Pilgrims.
Offerings.
Mantras.
The most common and simplest buddhist Ladakhi life.
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March 21, 2009 1:44 pm
By Tushar, July 18, 2010 @ 10:38 am
even after so much of criticism i will give these photographes a 9.5 out of 10.. the rest 0.5 should only be given to me coz i am also a photographer..
good job guys..
regards..
By shyam sharma, July 26, 2010 @ 8:46 am
you are doing a brillent work thank you
By ramesh, August 5, 2010 @ 12:56 am
v nice pics
By Van, June 5, 2011 @ 12:08 am
This temple has a beautiful Gohonzon with Namu Myoho Renge Kyo written down the middle. I’m surprised it’s in Tibet. Where exactly is this again? This Stupa is for Nichiren Buddhism, a Buddhist monk who lived in thirteenth-century Japan. Nichiren’s teachings provide a way for anybody to readily draw out the enlightened wisdom and energy of Buddhahood from within their lives, regardless of their individual circumstances. Each person has the power to overcome all of life’s challenges, to live a life of value and become a positive influence in their community, society and the world. Nichiren was born in 1222 in Japan and died around 1282.