DEWDROPS UNDER THE DHAULADHARS

June 2006

         “It’s a LEOPARD!” I cried in a reverent hush. We were headed northwest towards Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh) to attend the Dalai Lama’s Teachings when we stopped to observe this spectacular feline. But its exquisite camouflage – certainly nature’s finest ruse  – prevented us. No longer could we distinguish leopard from landscape.

Leopards are mostly nocturnal and here it was mid-afternoon. “Truly amazing!” I repeated in utter awe.

Here was yet another experience gifted me from India, and yet another microcosm of the beauty that is India herself. India’s dichotomies impact a Westerners’ soul to the very core. Her polarities constantly churn and challenge your spirit in an effort to synthesize all that is presented before you.  Then Himachal Pradesh offers you a leopard in the wild that crosses your very path. India never ceases to enrich. 

This thrill succeeded the apparition of the Bathu Ki Larhi Temples we had just witnessed. Eight temples stand glimmering in the riverbed, now fully exposed and available to receive visitors, as drought conditions abound in this region and the riverbed is dry. It is a far cry from the day they were totally submerged, that distant time when the 1974 Beas River Dam became functional.  And it is a testament to their foundation in sturdy Himachali stone that these temples re-emerge now, phoenix-like. Their hiatus from eight months fully covered by a watery grave allows pilgrims to pay homage during the few spring months of their liberation. As we continued on our way, these Dali-esque temples remained, their foundations standing in the riverbed.

ON TO DHARAMSALA

In 1960 the Parsi shopkeeper Nauzer Nowrojee invited the Dalai Lama and his entourage to leave the hill town of Mussoorie and take up residence in Dharamsala, specifically in ‘Upper Dharamsala’ known as McLeodGanj. A century before, Nauzer’s family established the first trading post in that sleepy town. It is cradled by the Dhauladars, the southern branch of the Himalayas.

After the devastating 1905 earthquake, many families moved to lower Dharamsala, situated some nine kms. below, but the Nowrojee family stayed in McLeodGanj. Over time, the influx of  Tibetans returned the town to prosperity.

A lifelong friendship continued between Nauzer and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.  In October 2001, Nauzer was walking in the nearby forest when the Dalai Lama saw him from his car, and asked the driver to stop. He greeted Nauzer. The two shared laughter and a brief conversation.  Nauzer died in his sleep the very next day.

The Nowrojee Store in McLeodGanj’s Central Plaza fades into the backdrop of bus offloads and the persistent chaos of taxis. I observe maroon-clad, shaven-headed monks who people the street in a rush to avoid the cold and rain one afternoon. Many elderly Tibetans - who no doubt fled with the Dalai Lama early on – move through the crowds, their braids hung long and plaited together to form a “u”; their earlobes laden with chunks of rich turquoise stones. ‘Chubas” (aprons that indicate marriage) range from cherry to apricot tones and reflect their owners’ same ruddy complexion and wind-chapped cheeks. Even the challenge of navigating mud-caked streets pales to the palatable excitement as the Dalai Lama’s annual Teachings are underway once again. A thrill indeed festoons the air.

TIBETAN BUDDHISM ABOUNDS

Myriad spiritual-seekers are drawn to the Dalai Lama. His universal appeal extends far beyond his venerated stature within Tibetan Buddhism. The Dalai Lama advocates compassion and non-violence in a world of indifference and violence. His strong, playful yet resonant voice passionately emanates from Himachal Pradesh’s northwest corner, some 100 miles west of Tibet.

Dharamsala is often called “Little Lhasa.” The word “Dharamsala” means a “rest house”; the title “Dalai Lama” means “Ocean of Wisdom”.  Tibetan Buddhists consider the Dalai Lama a manifestation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who opt to reincarnate, and return to educate and release human suffering.

THE EBB AND FLOW

For dinner, we head to the elegant Chonor House, part of the Norbulingka Institute, a trust-based entity established to ensure Tibetan Buddhism’s cultural heritage in the Indian diaspora. We negotiate the steep return that entails climbing a pitch-dark lane. A young monk descends simultaneously. He flips his mobile phone light and extends him arm so that it will illuminate our path. His small assistance speaks largely of the Tibetans and North Indians we encounter throughout Dharamsala. 

Next morning, the Hotel Bhagsu’s front garden unfolds in colorful array:  bright tangerine poppies and lemon-centered, snow-white daisies are fringed by furry deodars (Himalayan cedars) and framed by the Dhauladars’ dramatic peaks. As the wrought-iron chair envelops me, I sip chai.  I realize this opportunity – now, here in Dharamsala - is a most precious and cherished time.

© Helen Kitti Smith, March 2006

Monal – State Magazine of Himachal Pradesh