-Written by Rinchen.
Hustle- the name that the 21st century gives to life.
Yet, somehow in some corners of Ladakh, people are willing to give and not just get.
Read more#BOG – bring on the bog.
-written by Rinchen.
Glistening heads and backs walking through lush green fields set against brown and blue mountains.
Perhaps the aforementioned line is rather romanticized, yet it cannot be denied that Alchi women donning their entire traditional attire adds a sort of enigma to Alchi’s blessed land.
Alchi is a hamlet in the Sham region of Ladakh. Blessed by the Alchi Choskor, ( which is the oldest surviving monastery in Ladakh) the hamlet is mesmerising to say the least.
Read morewritten by Rinchen.
Followers of Tibetan Buddhism believe that both merit and demerit can be multiplied multifold times during an eclipse. Hence, prayers and good deeds are encouraged. Today’s lunar eclipse was one such occasion. The eclipse period ended at about 12 p.m.
As a beginner(even that would be an overstatement) in trying to follow the Tibetan-Buddhist way, there’s not much I can understand. However, what I’ve gauged is that the normal human mind clouded by illusions cannot always grasp concepts directly but must in fact keep an open mind.
Read moreWandering Watze.
A red fox on a full moon’s night.
Written by Rinchen.
My dog’s more aggressive-than-usual- bark got me to peek out of the window. A pointed snout, bushy tail and thin body.. behold the Himalayan Red Fox (known as watze in Ladakh) glimmering under the full moon’s radiance. From its body language, I inferred that it was a frequent visitor. As at any other occasion, I wondered what it meant..symbolically that is.
Read moreYoung and weathering years.
-Rinchen.
Considering Ladakh’s small population, one hears of suicide all too often; specially amidst the youth. Yet, it’s never talked about. These days, there is no solid support structure for the youth. The ‘elders’ who should be guiding the youth are either themselves misguided or are too busy.
In my opinion, one’s solid as well as individually understood source of support, in this day and age, understanding one’s mind. One way to that is through spirituality.
I’m not certain about other places, but surely Ladakh’s Buddhist youth is slowly getting disconnected from its religion: Tibetan-Buddhism. Factors are aplenty: apathy; ‘too cool for spirituality’; ‘too “rational” for spirituality; not been properly introduced to the tenets of the religion; too busy; lack of guidance. The youth today fails to understand that notions of success and coolness cannot take one far; without a firm understanding of the mind we are essentially just drifting through life. On the other side of the coin, the elderly are either unable to effectively share their knowledge, are ‘too cool’ themselves or are ignorant.
Read moreSalchowk and Thultan (as named in sTod, Lahaul valley):
- – Sonam Chhomo
In the areas of Lahaul, Spiti and Ladakh, Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, and possibly Arunachal Pradesh, we have these traditional styled tables and mattresses in living rooms that are indigenously connected to our communities.
Read moreAngchok 1
a reverie?
-Rinchen
To my Abile (granny) the 2 day long Chemrey Angchok Chham (religious masked monastic performance event) was more about tending to guests in her bustling house. She recounts how our ancestral house would be full of guests, mostly relatives from outside Chemrey (our village). Chhang (Ladakhi beer) and traditonal barley and meat assortments would flow in plenty and Abile would be busy organizing rooms and food with the aid of helpers.
Read moreA tale of two tilens, two scripts.
-Rinchen.
“So Abile (granny), do you know how to read both Bodhik and Urdu?”, I asked in awe.
Abile’s answer was in the affirmative. She was telling me about her Urdu teacher when I asked her whether he was a Muslim. She said yes and that Sir Rehman le also taught Bodhik brilliantly.
Read moreHolding one’s own in rural Ladakh.
-Rinchen.
I read a beautiful article this morning in The Hindu’s Sunday Magazine. During the pandemic, I like many others, have found great solace not only in nature but also in learning about nature. The article’s author had written emphatically about planting the right kind of trees in the right region. The author also pointed out the harm of planting trees in areas that are not natural havens for trees: open natural ecosystems (ONEs); Ladakh being an ONE.
In recent years, Ladakh has witnessed various environmental measures, but do we understand whether they are ecologically sound? I for one, honestly don’t pretend to understand, but I do know that not everything that we think is good for nature is good for nature; that not so incidentally applies to our own well being as well.
Read moreLOSAR 2021
By Rinchen Angmo, Nawang Chhoetso and Sonam Chhomo
Read moreDosmochey and an end to self-centredness?
-Rinchen Angmo
While the pandemic has prevented the celebration of Dosmochey as usual, prayers were conducted at Gompa Soma. If I am not mistaken, within the Gompa Soma building even Chham (monastic dance) took place today. However, I didn’t want to spoil the sanctity of the inner prayer hall of the Chhokhang by taking a video. There were different kinds of visitors today. Youngsters stepping in for one kora, an elderly lady whose devotion was unhindered by her hunchback, beggars from Rajasthan in colourful dupattas and those rushing to provide tea to the monks. Sitting there, you could almost forget who the ‘I’ is anyway, which is kind of what Buddhism encourages.
Read moreNo place like Rangyul Ladags
-Rinchen Angmo
This land so dear to me
The only aspect that inspires true meaning before the meaningless I
Rangyul Ladags
Read moreA reflection of the reflections about the Chhorten at Leh Palace
-Rinchen Angmo
There’s something very interesting about the Chhorten wing (side) of the Leh Palace. The balcony which provides a path for skora (cicumambulation) around the chhorten presents a world in itself. On one side stands the majestic Leh Palace, golden in the light of the setting sun. While Old Leh Town tumbles beneath in all its crooked beauty. And beyond that lies Leh city, an urban landscape. We often venture to remote parts of Ladakh to find beauty, but in our very own Leh are remnants untouched by urbanity.
Tracing Ladakh’s History through its Dynasty.
With reference to ‘The History of Maryul Ladakh’ by Tashi Rabgias (Meme le).
-Rinchen Angmo
The history of Ladakh is a beautiful past of a people similar in some ways and diverse in others, of a land that celebrated all sentient beings, a land of Dharma but also a land that accepted every form of spirituality, a land where good will was and hopefully still is valued above gold.
Read more