Down to earth

Back to sea level
Tibet Colony, Delhi, India

I'm in the New Sakya Cyber Cafe in Majnu-Ka Tilla ("Tibet Colony"), Delhi. The cyber guy is playing Chipmunks Christmas music ("Please Christmas Don't Be Late"). I knew Christmas in Delhi would be weird, but I never could have predicted the Chipmunks.

I had to come out here, even though it's not centrally located, because it was a little bit like Ladakh. Or Dharamsala, without the good restaurants.

I am still recovering from the drop in altitude and culture shock. Give me a day or so to produce a proper blog entry. For now, here's the Lamawatch.

Lamawatch: Dharamsala
HH Dalai Lama Begins Teachings of 13 Deity Yamantaka
Dharamsala, December 22: His Holiness the Dalai Lama began a five-day teaching at the Main Temple (Tsuglagkhang) at the request of Gandan Thegchenling Monastery of Ulan Bator, Mongolia. After the five days' teachings, on the morning of December 27, the Mongolian Buddhist group will organise a long life offering ceremony to the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Some 250 Buddhists from Mongolia, mainly monks from the monastery, are attending the teachings. Hundreds of Tibetans and, a sizeable Buddhists from Korea and western countries, and some Chinese Buddhists attended the first day teaching here today....
...Tenzin, a monk student from the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, said that an initiation is a must before carrying out a formal teaching of Guru Puja. “His Holiness has decided to confer Lha Chusoom Jigjey Kawang, one of the highest tantric initiations, for two days this time”, Tenzin says.

Maybe I'll shoot on up on the 12-hour bus ride to Dharamsala. Who better to play Santa Claus than the Big D L? Here's a photo I took at the 2006 Kalachakra in Andhra Pradesh.

Rumour (not yet verified) has it that there will be a January 2009 Kalachakra, again in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh. Shout out to the homeboys and girls in Guntur! Vijay, Teja and Asha - Bagundhi!