Musafir

Nyingmapa Monastery.. One of the most beautiful and peaceful places that one can visit to spend sometime in solitude. It is situated in Kushalnagar in the Coorg District. Its a must visit place in Karnataka.

It was a rewarding experience the two occasions i visited the monastery. The first time we went to the Monastery with my colleagues, it was in the evening and the other, morning.

The area is habitated by hundreds of Tibetan Monks and students. They spend years learning and practicing Buddhism before going to their country to lead their lives. There are quarters built for them and their lives are also very simple.

As we enter the campus, we find these monks sitting and chatting among each other. There are 5 temples inside the campus. Once we enter the main campus, we see a temple of which the ceiling is coated with Gold and big. That is just a sample of the grandness of the monastery.

Go along and on the right side and you will find a big long temple and in front of it, there is a big bell. The temple is a long one with three doors. Left to the temple is the place where we need to leave our footwear. Enter inside the temple and…… You will see three magnificent statues of three Buddha, 60 feet in height and plated with Gold… Its a marvellous site and you will take some time to awe at the statues before you. The statues are at the other end of the hall. A picture of the Dalai Lama is placed at the foot of the statue of Gautama Buddha which is the statue in the centre. There are miniature replicas of their temples placed in glass enclosures.

It was 20th of December 2008 when i visited the Monastery for the second time. We were lucky to witness an event that happens once in a year. It was the Birthday of one of the founders of the monastery and their great teacher. There were special prayers that were held. A monk rings a small brass bell in rhythm and that was the call to the other monks that the prayer is about to start. Soon some 300 monks, young and old comes inside the hall. There are small desks that are placed on the floor and some scriptures on them.

The prayer starts with one of the teachers chanting some hymns in rhythm and long trumpets blown along with clanks of bells and a big drum. Soon the disciples join the prayer and it is amazing even to listen some 300 people chanting in rhythm. Tea is served  continuously to them by a group of people moving around. The prayer goes for probably till the afternoon. We were there for almost an hour moved around the campus, seen various paintings that depict the life of Gautama Buddha. That was a wonderful experience which i cherish all my life.

Some more pictures of the monastery

To be continued…….