Thursday, October 31, 2013

Tibetan Monastery




The Kullu Valley has a sizeable Tibetan community. It is not uncommon to see monks cloaked in dark red robes walking the streets. The Himalayas are home to people of Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist religions. Part of the joy of my trip has been to see how the people live in the valley. Therefore, I was very pleased to have the opportunity to visit a Tibetan Monastery and boarding school.

The gates to the monastery.
The boarding school was for boys and girls.
There were seperate dormitories for the Lamas or young boys in training to become monks.

To reach the temple you must first remove your shoes and walk up several stairs.


The temple is painted in an array of bright  colors. There are scenes painted on the exterior walls of the temple depicting nature and stories about Buddha. It was a real visual treat for the eyes.




I was so excited to see the mandala painting !


The inside of the temple inspired just as much awe as the exterior.




There was a large and colorful shrine devoted to Buddha at the back of the temple. The temple was very large and spacious and could accommodate many people who wished to pray.


It was a wonderful space to stop and take a moment of reflection.




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