I'm declaring Dharamsala my favourite place in India :-)
A settlement, quite big by now, on the lap of Himalayas, surrounded by mountains and snowed picks behind. Villages and houses spread on slopes of the mountains.
It's a refuge of Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetans who managed to escape the Chinese slaughtering in the 50ties. How many of them didn't make it... Either killed at their homes (monasteries was a special target) or during the escape. Many of them died during the long and strenuous passage through Himalayas or after arriving to India - foreign climate and lack of immunity for the local microbes caused mortal, for Tibetans, diseases.
The place has a Tibetan thus Buddhist feel. It's calmer than the rest of India. People don't hassle you here, don't pull into their shops, rickshaw drivers don't ask for more than is the tariff, bargaining is not a way of buying...
Yet, the politics in India concerning Tibetan refugees is far from being cooperative. Besides kind welcoming, Tibetans didn't get any rights in the country. So they are still foreigners not integrated administratively into the community, which means that they can't be employed or buy a property. I say administratively 'cause on the social level they are very much integrated and made this place their home. But their incomes are generated by selling goods on the streets - mostly their crafts ( beads, bags, bits and pieces) or momos (Tibetan dumplings).
Sorry, latest update. Tibetans, with their national passports, are allowed to start and run their own buissness. At least in this state of India.
Tourist species is well adapted and settled here as well. People stay for weeks and months on end doing yogas, meditations, playing Indian instruments, tatooing or just hipping around as the clothes and climate prone you to this life style.
The part of this area is an Israeli colony - a whole villages of Israeli tourists. I'm surrounded by Hebrew, Israeli music and food, the signs. I learnt a wrong alphabet - should have study Hebrew instead of Hindi :-) Even the shop keepers, tailor and tattoo artist speak Hebrew for the convenience of customers...I have nothing against Israeli. Their attitude is sometimes arrogant but I guess that's more a group dynamic than any fixed characteristic of a nation. It's just too much dominance of one "group" regardless if it wasGerman, American, Polish or Israeli population. The positive outcome of having them here though is a nice change from Indian cuisine to Middle East one - I enjoy good hummus and falafel :-)I love it here!
Originally I came to Dharam for Dalai Lama's teachings. I did go to see His Holiness. There is something very touching in his eternal smile and peaceful face, how he walks through the temple (with some difficulties now at his age) and waves his hand humbly, friendly...lovingly...I didn't much profit from his teachings though - difficult topic and jumping between Tibetan and English translation. I'd love to listen to Him in English.
I profit greatly though from unlimited time to look at buddhist monks and nuns. Some of them have such a serenity and light beaming from their faces!
Monks debating - entertaining to watch :-)
But I greatly profit from my time in Dharam!
I do yoga and teach yoga! I'm gathering experience to be a better teacher in Bxl :-) Siva has a nice space and all that is needed: mats, cushion, belts, etc. I take his class in the morning and give Ashtanga in the afternoon :-) Really enjoying it!
I'm taking singing classes as well! :-) I love it! So far we are working on getting the voice out of my chest and belly :-) It's very screechy and shy as there is a lot of emotions stuck in my belly and not moving :-)
On Friday I go for my Buddhism course so I will be locked up in a Buddhist centre for 3 weeks (with a break after 9 days). No talking, two meditations and three teachings per day. I'm looking forward to it as am absorbing Buddhism at the moment like a sponge :-)
So I will update you on the stat of affairs at the end of June.
Over for now :-)
