True Stories of Cook(Machen) of shyabru

This is true story.

I went to Shyabru Bensi for official work; I stayed for three nights. Normally

Whenever I was at new place and new bed, I had a habit of drinks but I need a company. So I took school cook at small Bhati (restaurant). Normally when I had drink with friends. I have habit of talking about myself but on that time he is speak a lots and   I have to listens all his stories. But anyway I am quite impressed with his true story.  We had a good conversation. He talks about his life in India and Nepal. He got a taught time during in life. Here is one of his life stories. I like share with other.

His name is Ngawang and his about 37 year’s old.

His parents and his will to join monk at young age. So he was send by his parent to South India to become a Buddhist monk. Over there he almost spends 13 years with monastic rules and regulation. He was hard working and smart in his studies. Always participate in debate and other monastery activity. His teacher is as loyal to him as there is good relation in Guru and Chela (master and student). But   the weather at south India is hot and studies are taught at high level. So he got T.B. two times. So he was send to Varanasi for further studies. As his master know him well and don’t want to lose him.

While he was studying at Varanasi, he got some problem with old and new monk. Again he was transfer to Dharamsala. Over there he got blessing from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and become monk at Namgyal monastery. Actually it is under His Holiness. Normally special student got admission at this monastery; he was one of luckiest. Over there he got same master. Who is so loyal to him.

During he stayed at monastery. They have to do other manual work of monastery.  But after three months they will get a month holiday.

So, one day it’s his turn. He always wake up at early and do surrounding clean and light a thousand of butter lamp and at evening he and his friends have clean all the empty lamp. During that period, its winter time mostly people of Bhutan come to Dharamsala to get bless and teaching of H.H. the Dalai Lama. On that time he got good friends with old women.  As he is always inside the temple and old Women come there for early morning Kora (circulations) of temple and light butter lamp. On that time they became good friend and she invite him to Bhutan for special prayer and for him its holiday.

After his duty, try to get permission from his master for a month holiday. As he want to travel to Bhutan but on that time his master give him advice to not to travel before he finished all his studies. But he is being young and wanted to see new things. As he hasn’t travel much and he took opportunity travel to Bhutan since he is invited by old women.

Finally, he made decision to take month holiday trip to Bhutan. At early morning he took bus from Dharamsala to Delhi and then Shiliguri and finally he reach safety at Bhutan in old woman home. Over there he does regular prayer for old woman and during off time he visit Buddhist pilgrimage site in Bhutan. Before a month holiday he has to return back to his monastery. So he took jeep to Phuntsok ling (boarder of Bhutan). And then get at Shiliguri, over there he try to book train ticket to Delhi on that day. Most of Indian railway systems are poor and not in timing, so he has to stay there for two day for late train. While staying there at Shiliguri, he was alone and nothing to do…….because of train Indian Railway system. He is new at that place and there isn’t any friend.

Fine morning he took rickshaw to tour Shiliguri main bazaar and round surrounding area. While near to old railway track, he found lots of girls shouting to him. He was so curious and wants to know what they are doing. He ask rickshaw Wala to stop and tell him to go to that place where girls are shouting. On that time he can’t speak Hindi and Nepali. He acts as deaf person. While getting at girl’s room, a girl asking for money and he give to her. After that girl put off her cloth and ask him put off too. He doesn’t know what she is doing and she is trying to put off his cloth. She asks him why you are here and do your work. On that time he remembers prince Siddhartha near to enlightenment of Buddha surround by witch in beautiful dress. Try attack not get not to get enlightened. And he tell himself” ho god!! I am finished! What kind of sin I made! Forgive me”! And ashamed of himself and how he can tell to other.

On that night he didn’t get any sleep and thinking for how can he tell to his friends and master. Next day he took train to Delhi. He stayed there for two week even though his holiday is end. Since he had good relationship with his master and truly believed in Buddha. While staying at Delhi, he thinks deep and decided to visit Dharamsala once.

When he gets at Dhasa, he feels guilty to visit his monastery. He went direct to hotel and had a shower.  On drawn he visits his room and packs his all cloth and goods. He share true story to his friend, but some of his friend guide to not leave monastery and in other place there is lots like you.  But he is being true believer. He feel guilty when he enter monastery. After all he leave monastery. He did what teacher told him when he leave monastery. In Tibet when monk become lay. He had a punishment. These day you will find same punishment in Zarong Thupten choeling monastery, Chilsa, Solukhumbhu,Nepal. After monastery life, he had more tough life. I will share in next time.

Jampa Gyaltsen

Kathamandu,Nepal

visit to Rasuwa Tibetan Settlement,shyabru Nepal

Rasuwa in Dashain 2010

Rupshree Joshi 

Its Dashain time, the festival time in Nepal. News is in the air that tickets for buses are not available as people are all going out of Kathmandu to their native home for the festivities.

I have to give up my mood to travel in the big bus and head towards Rasuwa in a hired vehicle. Finding a willing driver I feel elated. Sahila dai is a popular taxi driver in sanobharyang area and also hails from rasuwa district. We pass through valleys and hills driving through rugged roads and we reach a gate named welcome to  tamshaling ,autonomous region depicting the  ethnic movement that is in the air.The land scape is as beautiful where as the roads is as bad. the roads are not meant taxis and big four wheelers and pajeros pass by big bullies throwing much air and dust.We reach army check posts and received exclamations in great admiration saying “how did taxi reach here?

Early morning we head for thangboche . The road has reached till  kerung  the border and we take the off road and head towards chilime passing by villagers carrying salt in narrow trails,and village goats in  and pass suspension bridges. After two hours hike we reach a tamang village where the house holds are not more than five. We reach a small square where there is a tap and  a woman is  busy washing clothes. More travelers with sacks of herbs come to rest for some time. soon there is a big crowd in a very quiet surroundings. A old woman is feeding the livestock. Octogenerain Dolma lives alone with her livestock.Her children live in kathmandu and she was preparing food of barley for the livestock. Dolma Shrestha is the second generation Tibetans like many others  who live in hills of Nepal.She is  Tibetan mother and nepali father. She is wearing a traditional Tibetan dress and she has a spoon on her belt which  she uses it during the travel  time where she doesnot get water to wash her hands.we strike a conversation with the village belles who have been carrying the herbs to trade . they bring the  herbs which will be used as medicines for herbs and to be sold in kathmandu.They bring it from the community forestry .

We chit chat and head towards thangboche and motorable road has come to chilime due to the hydroelectric power plant.the Tibetan households and the Nepalese are living next to each other and Nepalese families are in perfect harmony . we enter the village and see corn baskets and pig slaughtering and people playing cards .

24 families of tibetans stay there . we get to meet the a few families.

Dawa tsering came from Tibet when he was 20 years old and settled in kerung .  after staying for two years at kerung working in daily we ages when the land was to be allocated he and many other families moved towards thangboche. The settlers settled in the different parts of the district were allocated land and with the supervision of one of the contractors called phillipe. the houses were constructed with labour charges of rs 4 per day and rs 3 per day for females.12 families were settled.The early settlers contributed in forming their own houses .  not enough houses were built and as more settlers poured in and the houses were allocated in lottery system .more construction took place to accommodate more settlers.

Dawa’s two wives support him to provide for his family.most families are working towards knitting  the zaama shyamma which is very popular for women living in langtang.one of the wives weaves and he  goes off  to sell in the local markets in nearby villages,syabru and even as far as langtang .he goes house to house  and often goes away for a month from home and often gives on credit so that he collects in his next trip. the apron usually is sold for rs 800 and they ,manage to sell 2-3 in a month.His elder wife looks after the store they have opened in their house bring on credit.from shabru. There are plenty of small stores like theirs in the hamlet but it has very limited consumers so the retail  business is more of passing time than enterprenuership.

Old couple Pema and singcho both in their eighties lives there. They used to graze livestock in the hills and used to lead a nomadic lifestyle but they are unable to do so as they are very aged and sick. The monthly pensions that they get helps a bit. As they are very old renewing the refugee card has become a nuisance as they need to walk and travel more than 5 hours to go to the district office which is based in dhunche.Out of their four children one daughter lives with in a nearby house in the same hamlet with her husband Gurmey.Gurmey and his wife run a small shop .His shop is more stocked than the rest of the other shops in the hamlet as he also retails clothes .Earlier in his youth he used to work for wages in Kathmandu. As his wife belongs to the settlement they chose to live there. Their children are in schools in kathmandu and in India.Like most of the settlers they are living their simple lives amidst complexities like land encroachment and also worrying about the future of their children who have not been given refugee cards.

 The land where the settlement is not barred by wire and so there is always a fear of encroachment that is happening.The land is in the name of the Red cross society and previous owners are still threatening the settlers that they will sue them for the land.With the motorable road that has been built due to the chilime hydro power has brought accessibility to the village. Rapid development will soon follow and as it is it is in the Langtang trail .soon the quiet settlement will face more development challenges as the price of the land goes up higher than ever.

We have rice with green chilies and veggies and listen to  the laughter of the  children who are  back from school .I take a round of the village and see most of the women who are busy weaving and knitting and children playing an laughing .

Most of the children of the settlement go to the school in Syabru where they teach Tibetan,English and maths till class 5 and also consecutively attend the nepali government school nearby.After the completion of the primary school they move towards school in Kathmandu and India.In the district as the people are living in various clusters the children are staying  in the hostel.After completion of their education most of them remain in Kathmandu and in India seeking more employment oppourtunities and also due to the lack of oppourtunities in their own villages.

Just as migration is happening for Nepalese from villages to cities to foreign countries for a better life,similar migration is happening within the Tibetan settlements where most of the elderly and aged live with their children living else where seeking oppourtunities that are so scarce.Tibetan children who become educated but will not be able to cope with living withour oppourtunities in their settlements.It is more frustating as the refugee status limits them from working outside.Like every body else in Nepal they took have a dream of making it big in life which become restricted with out the employment oppourtunties and prospects of travel becomes a hindrance in absence of easy availability of travel document and exit permits.

While going back when I look around I see so much tranquility and beauty in the air and imagine how life is so very difficult and beautiful  to look at the same time.