Its a steep 40 minute walk to the monastery of Gatlang, i pass several women carrying heavy loads, they smile and give a namaste and carry on. I wonder how it is possible to be that cheerful when carrying 40 kilos up and down the mountainsides. i know I certainly wouldn’t be smiling but then Gatlang is a special place. In the Tamang language gatlang means happiness and everywhere i go, i am welcomed by happy smiley people.
Parvati Lund is a beautiful spot to take a 5-minute break before carrying on to the monastery of Gatlang. A holy lake, known by the local people as Chodingmo. It is home to powerful water spirits in the form of snakes, which are extremely important to Buddhists and Hindus alike. Many people of both faiths come and wash in the ice-cold waters. I have to confess, I wasn’t up for it, being November, high up in the Himalayas with ice-cold winds and a whole day ahead of me at the monastery. So I carried on climbing.
The monastery of Gatlang was destroyed in the 2015 earthquake that devastated Nepal. Now the relics and scriptures are housed in a small one-room building and the 25 lamas who once lived there, have relocated to the village until the monastery is rebuilt. The building is going on in several areas of the site and the reason for my visit was for a puja ceremony for the foundations of a large statue of Buddha.
As I approached the building I could hear chanting, the rustling of the prayer flags in the wind, and distant laughter. I just knew I was going to enjoy the experience.
The building is perched on the side of the mountain with breathtaking views of Langtang Lirung and the valleys below. I could see many of the villagers making their way up the steep path, carrying baskets laden with treats to be blessed.
Mingmar llama invited me to step inside the small room. It was a bit of a squeeze but I managed to wedge myself into a corner without knocking the lag-na over (ancient Tibetan frame drum). The stacks of scriptures took up nearly a third of the space, with a small area in front of the altar and 7 llamas chanting and playing various instruments. I lost myself in the rhythmic chanting and music.
Whilst the scriptures were recited inside, outside was a hive of activity. Several llamas were preparing a fire altar for the offerings and lots of women had gathered on the porch, emptying the contents of their baskets into a huge pile, Packets of crisps, biscuits, sweets, and some homemade pastries. Around the corner, another fire was being prepared for cooking lunch and lots of people were chopping vegetables.
I sat outside for a while to observe. I love people-watching, especially when I have no idea what is going on. Every half hour or so Mingmar Llama walked from the monastery carrying different spirits (made from dampened rice flour and moulded into shapes) placing them on the fire altar or on a corner of the monastery. The women were sitting in the sun chatting and spinning wool. Everywhere people were happy and smiling.
The high llama approached me – he had in his hands a bear’s skull that had been found in the mountains. We chatted whilst he washed and scrubbed it clean, it was to play a big part in the ceremonies.
Lunch was rice and spicy vegetables, we sat on the ground and ate with our fingers, behind the monastery, basking in the sun but sheltered from the icy winds.
As was my luck that day, I happened to be sitting with the village matchmaker. She was a jovial character, jabbering away in Tamang, laughing, and making hand gestures, so I clearly understood what she was saying. At one point she picked up a small stone and tossed it at a llama sitting close to me, to indicate the man she had chosen for me… I quickly made my excuses and went to join in the ceremonies.
Whilst we had been eating, the llamas had been performing cleansing ceremonies on the bear’s skull. It was wrapped in colourful threads, totally encasing the skull.
As the ceremonies proceeded inside, everyone mingled outside. Everyone chatting and laughing and even having a little dance to imaginary music.
The high llama walked into the gathering holding the wrapped bear’s skull, sat down, and started chanting. People started to form a line, playfully pushing those closest to go first. Men placed their right foot and women their left on a rock, the high llama then passed the skull several times around and under the foot whilst chanting. This is to capture the bad energies from past events, so that they don’t repeat in future generations, to break the cycle. I was shocked when the high llama called me forward to participate. He said in perfect english you are our guest, our family and indicated for me to take off my left hiking boot. I was cleansed.
With the sun going down and the icy winds picking up, I decided to make my way back down the mountain whilst I could still see (and feel) my feet. The bear’s skull was buried in the foundations of the large Buddha statue which will look over and after the valley of Gatlang. The monastery will be rebuilt and I was so glad that I was a part of that day, it will stay with me forever. After all, it’s not ever day you have a bear’s skull passed around you in a village called happiness!
