During my recent visit to Dharamshala I was fortunate enough to have a personal audience with his Holiness the Dalai Lama with my family and had a soul stirring discussion with him on meditation and its impact on us mortal beings especially in finding peace and substance.
Receiving the Blessings from his Holiness
He said two things- “practice analytical meditation on a regular basis – not for few days or few months but for years and years and then you shall start finding some substance in yourself”. And secondly that “practice Karuna (compassion) for any and every one.” So simple - yet so difficult.
After our meeting with his holiness I took my parents
to visit the Norbulingka Institute for Tibetan art and crafts. A beautifully
designed complex which was inaugurated in 1995 by the Dalai Lama. I and my
husband were residing in Dharamshala at that time and since then have seen it
blossoming– completely befitting the meaning of its name – Treasure Garden. A
treasure it is and a must visit place for everyone. I visit it every time I go
to Dharamshala.
Sitting on the stairs of the main Temple
Sitting in front of the main temple complex
The workshops complex
My parents
When his holiness the Dalai Lama came to India and established his government in exile at Dharamshala in 1959– no one ever imagined that the in times to come many aspects of Tibetan culture and cuisine shall become an integral part of us in Himachal – the ‘momos’ (almost a staple diet of many in the hill stations), colorful artifacts and their philosophy.
The Applique Thangka
Tibetan Artifacts
The painted Thangka
Situated in the Sidhbari town near Dharamshala, Norbulingka is a self-sustaining institute teaching and preserving art and crafts of Tibetan culture; even reviving some of the lost ones. It is named after the summer palace of the Dalai Lama outside Lhasa in Tibet – Norbulingka.
It has master craftsmen and pupils and provides jobs to almost 300 Tibetans in this institute. Nine crafts are being taught and preserved here - Thangka Painting and applique, Statute making, woodcarving, wood painting, applique, Tailoring, weaving, and Screen printing. It also enrolls visitors for short courses.
Besides being a training institute it has become a major tourist destination with many vistas on display. It was designed by a Japanese architect and the idea was to follow the proportions of the Avlokiteshvara, the Tibetan deity of compassion with arms like structures housing the workshops.
Besides the workshops there is a temple for Lord Buddha which houses a 14 feet Buddha statue in bronze, a doll museum, gift shop, eateries and the gardens. The entire building has Thangka paintings and scared flags - giving it a vibrant mystical look.
The Thangka in the temple
The Doll Museum
The exhibits in the Doll museum
The workshops
The fish Pond
The beautiful entrance
I admired this place mainly for its beautiful architecture, the colors of Tibetan culture, its crafts shop and the mouthwatering food offered by the restaurant and the café (the muffins are simply amazing and so is the coffee). A visit with friends and generally chit chatting was a always a pleasure.
2017
2019
During Covid times 2020 - with Indu Sharma
But this time I realized that Norbuligka is more than just an institute, more than a tourist destination – it is a place where one can sit quietly and practice meditation in many ways or just be with oneself. Be it in joining a course to learn a craft in silence and full concentration, or just sit near the fish ponds to watch the fishes swim merrily, or meditate in the temple of Buddha or go and see how beautifully the Doll Museum has been crafted and created or visit the well laid out craft shops or just be one with nature in the aesthetically planted and nurtured gardens or enjoy the Tibetan cuisine in the restaurant and the café or just observe the bright beautiful Thangka paintings painted all over the institute or rotate the wheels of worships or observe the bright Tibetan sacred flags or just choose to stay in their rest house for few days to be a part of the whole ambience. One can find peace in every nook and corner of this beautiful place.
The gift Shop
Well maintained gardens
The wheels of worship
The Norbuling rest house
The restaurant
Sitting near the restaurant
The Cafe
I pondered over it and thought that maybe its because the way it has been designed with 'compassion' as a central theme - hence the vibes and also the well preserved tranquility through aesthetically planted trees, shrubs and bushes and many water ways. The five Tibetan colors also add to the charm - blue (representing sky), white (air), Red (symbolizes fire), green (symbolizes water) and yellow (symbolizes earth) and together they create a harmony and a balance. The colors are present every where - in their frescos, in their crafts, in their flags and even on the stones.
Or maybe I felt it more because of my meeting with his Holiness and discussion about mindfulness and meditation.
The small places of worship - many in the entire complex
The pathways
The painted walls
The sacred flags are everywhere - reminding of the Buddhist philosophy of balance in life
My visit again showed me that our observations about people and places depend on how we are feeling at that moment – and as Dalai Lama says – “Control your mind and you shall see goodness in all.”
While I was silently enjoying the institute; a beautiful dog was also visiting and walking at his own pace - totally relaxed. There were many people with him filming his progress. On asking I got to know that he is OSLO – a 10 year old Husky. He lives in Pune with his human Pooja Bhale (an Associate Professor in Environment) and comes on a snow tour every year to Himachal. He starts his tour from Norbulingka and goes to different snow bound areas every year. What a life and if he could share - what experiences.
With OSLO and Pooja
His story reaffirmed my belief that Norbulingka indeed is a Treasure Garden – and maybe more – to attract not only us humans but animals as well.
Thanks Mam for providing valuable information in every visit 🙏🙏🙏
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed a haven, captured to beautifully by you. Real credit to the Indian government at the time to give sanctuary to His Holiness then. Tibetan culture too has been preserved due to this brave noble decision.
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