Budistični samostani / Buddhist monasteries
Darjeeling je res da najbolj znan zaradi čaja, vendar to še zdaleč ni edini razlog, ki naredi mesto privlačno.
Ko se prebližuješ Sikkimu je indijskih prebivalcev vse manj. Zaradi kitajske okupacije leta 1949 se je veliko tibetanskih begunjcev zateklo na indijsko stran Himalaje. Tu so našli varno zatočišče in se ustalili. Poleg Tibetancev in Indijcev v Darjeelingu živi tudi kar nekaj Nepalcev. Zato je vtis budizma, ki originalno prihaja iz Indije, v teh krajih zelo močan.
S Stephenom sva se kmalu po prihodu v mesto odpravila na ogled samostanov – da spoznava religijo malo bližje. Na nekaj urni poti proti Ghumu, od koder smo prišli s Toy Trainom, sva videla tri samostane. Prvega »Aloobari Gompa Monastery« so ravnokar prenavljali. Navdušena sem bila nad natančnim delom in umetniškim pristopom. Z vodnimi barvami barvajo centimeter za centimetrom stene, kjer so prej s svinčnikom narisali osnovne linije. Sledi še senčenje. V enem dnevu menih dokonča približno 15×15 centimetrov velik delček stene.
Budistični samostani so čudoviti. Ko vstopiš vanj te oblije neskončno barv in pozitivne energije.
Ko se je Luka pozdravil, sva šla na ogled še dveh samostanov. Pri prvem sva z navdušenjem opazovala živalsko igro pred vrati. Psi proti opicam. Vaški psi so stražili vrata ter se z vso silo podili za opicam, ki so jih hinavsko izzivale ter se zavedale njihove hitrosti in sposobnosti plezanja.
Drugi samostan pa je bil v središču mesta – Dorje Ling, najbolj znan izmed vseh. Pravijo, da je ta samostan poimenoval mesto. Zanimivo je, da je hindujski in budistični obenem.
Všeč mi je princip budistične molitve. Verjamejo, da če zavrtiš molilni mlinček ta zate opravi molitev. Podobno je z zastavicami, ki jih imajo izobešene pred hišami – ko plapolajo v vetru, takrat se opravlja molitev. Praktično, kajne?
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It wouldn’t be fair to say that Darjeeling is interesting only because of the tea. There is many more to see.
Closer to Sikkim is less indian inhabitans. When China invaded Tibet in 1949 many refugees escaped to Indian Himalaya. They felt safe here. They brought religion too. So as Nepali. That makes buddhism, which is originally born in India, in this part of the country really important.
Me and Stephen did a long walk around the town to visit a few monasteries and get to know buddhist religion a bit better. We went towards Ghum – from where we arrived with Toy Train. They were just renovating the first one – Aloobari Gompa Monastery. I can’t describe my enthusiasm about fine art drawings I saw in front of me. So detailed. Everything done by water colors. Monk finishes 15 square centimeters painting in one day.
Buddhist monasteries are wonderful. The colours fill you with positive energy.
When Luka got a bit better, we went to see two more. When we arrived to the first one, not far from the main square, we enjoyed watching the game between dogs and monkeys – monkeys were provoking dogs, knowing they can climb, and the dogs were running after them like crazy.
Afterwards we visited the main monastery in the city – Dorje Ling. If you read it out loud, you will realize that this one gave the name to the city. It is both – Hindu and Buddhist monastery.
I like the principal of Buddhist prayings. They believe if you turn praying wheel, the wheel creates praying itself. Similar with flags – when flags are waving in the wind, that means prayings. Quite smart, isn’t it?
