Dharmasala is beautiful - it's in the north east of India and at the base of the Himalayas, and is the home of the Dali Lama and the exiled Tibetan government. Prayer flags snap in the wind and the views of the valleys and mountains are spectacular. India gave the Tibetans this town for their refugees and it's a place where they can live peacefully without persecution from the Chinese. Apparently the Dali Lama just walks around town when he's here. He also gives public talks. Unfor. he's traveling until Sept. do I don't know if I'll meet him. :( Every year thousands of Tibetans make the two-month long trek through the Himalayas in winter first to Nepal and then from there they are transferred here to Dharmasala. They travel in winter b/c the snow is safer to walk on and it's harder for the Chinese guards to spot them. Hundreds get frostbite and have to have limbs amputated. Others don't make it at all. It's facinating to talk to people here and get their stories.
Besides the Dali Lama there is another very high holy Lama lives in exile here -- the Karmapa Lama. He's about 22 years old (but in the 17th reincarnation) and leads a branch of Buddhism that offshoots from the Dali Lama's teachings. Today I went to a ceremony at his monastery where he appeared for a few minutes to give blessings and receive donations. The ceremony was very organized. After bowing several times when the Lama first came out into the hall, everyone (including me) assembled into a line and had a white scarf with them. (I didn't know that you needed a scarf so I ran out and got one from someone who finished her blessing already.) As you get up to the front where the Lama is another monk takes the scarf wraps it over your neck and shoulders and then you can approach the Karmapa Lama. You do a quick bow and in return he hands you a red string.
The white scarf is an ancient Tibetan tradition -- the color symbolizes purity of intention and aspiration. The red string is called a protection and blessing cord. The lama ties a knot in the cord, then prays over it and blows the power of his mantra into it. It's supposed to symbolize the lama's protection even after departing from his physical presence.
You weren't allowed to bring cameras so I don't have any personal pictures, but here is one that I plucked from the internet.
