Sunday Funday
Such a red-letter day.
Finally a chance to get back to Pangri Zampa and a chance to see how it has evolved. It is a tranquil sanctuary, just as we remembered it but now it is much more expansive and so thoroughly renovated.
Projects are still underway and obviously significant ‘Khempos’ are coming and teaching. While on our previous visits, it was hardly possible to sight a monk. It was at that time a sleepy, secluded and spectacular institute for the studies of astrology, not a thriving monk body with guidance and eminent teachers. Or at least that is the way it came across to us.
Shortly after arriving, we were invited into the room containing butter lamps and encouraged to light the last three ourselves. What a lovely gesture and of course we made a donation to ensure more butter lamps would be made and offered.
That in itself brightened my day and was almost the most positive change we have seen in Bhutan this time round.
Emerging from the room containing the burning butter lamps we discovered the taxi driver who had dropped us there was waiting outside, pointing at his bank account in his phone and muttering Nu. 200. After some confusion, both of us assuming that the electronic payment Ian had made was insufficient, he finally produced his wallet and refunded Ian that much money. We had in fact overpaid him and he had returned to find us to correct the imbalance! Well that was a first and certainly helped to restore our faith in humanity after recent events.
We saw many, many more young monks in the monastery this time and they were both well behaved and looking exceedingly happy. It couldn’t help but transport me back to our much-loved Little Monks of Kep and the times we all shared. We still miss them.
The courtyard was abuzz with anticipation and we observed the arrival of an obviously revered religious leader of the monk body. All the monks then silently followed him to a nearby hall and we continued our rather aimless rambling about their silent, serene and spectacular campus.
I’m grateful for the few days like this that are possible. When the connection to place, people and culture restores your inner calm and brings solace.
And, also the foresight to try again and persist with one of the most magnificent and memorable experiences of previous times living in the capital.
Our last attempt was such a disaster that we started the day with trepidation and are so relieved to have ended it in jubilation.
We walked over half the way back into Thimphu and felt both refreshed and revived after our thoroughly joyful morning and homemade picnic brunch in the beautiful grounds of the Astrology Institute.
Follow your heart! It is the path to happiness.
No comments:
Post a Comment