By Kirti Tarang.
This yr I stayed at a Buddhist Monastery inwards McLeodganj with 87 strangers from the footing over. Apart from yoga, meditation as well as classes on Buddhism, nosotros observed 10 days of silence. Ironically, from those wordless times came amusing dinner-table stories, 4 of which I am sharing here:
1. The swell Indian stereotype
 |
| Meditation. Photo by Hartwig HKD. |
Imagine a magnificent Gompa (Tibetan Praying Room), as well as steps leading to a two-leveled garden. On the left of the garden is a Stupa as well as on the right, a picayune pond where monkeys come upward as well as play. Imagine this house surrounded past times the Himalayas as well as all the beauty therein. I was there, lying inwards the garden, sunbathing, scribbling a poetry form inwards my note-book when it happened.
From the creeks of the rocks, correct inwards forepart of my face, a serpent popped out, alongside all its fangs as well as hood glory!
I gasped. In quiet ane can’t scream. An Israeli daughter sunbathing close me gave those ‘hush up’ looks. Gasping is also breaking silence, after all. So, equally a reflex I did what whatever Indian would’ve done. I cupped my hands higher upward my head, similar Sri Devi inwards ‘Nagina’ as well as began swaying them. The daughter only looked at me incredulously. Then it struck me, they don’t quest hold ‘Ichaadhari Naags’ inwards Israel!
H5N1 Gujrati guy was sitting nearby; he got it as well as straight off came to my rescue alongside a stick. The serpent had already reclined to its hole. So, he as well as I took a telepathic determination to allow it be.
The Israeli daughter couldn’t quest hold been to a greater extent than surprised. The swell Indian stereotype only happened inwards forepart of her - the snake, the serpent charmer as well as my feeble endeavour at serpent dance!
2. The Brazilian Gargle
From the creeks of the rocks, correct inwards forepart of my face, a serpent popped out, alongside all its fangs as well as hood glory!
I gasped. In quiet ane can’t scream. An Israeli daughter sunbathing close me gave those ‘hush up’ looks. Gasping is also breaking silence, after all. So, equally a reflex I did what whatever Indian would’ve done. I cupped my hands higher upward my head, similar Sri Devi inwards ‘Nagina’ as well as began swaying them. The daughter only looked at me incredulously. Then it struck me, they don’t quest hold ‘Ichaadhari Naags’ inwards Israel!
H5N1 Gujrati guy was sitting nearby; he got it as well as straight off came to my rescue alongside a stick. The serpent had already reclined to its hole. So, he as well as I took a telepathic determination to allow it be.
The Israeli daughter couldn’t quest hold been to a greater extent than surprised. The swell Indian stereotype only happened inwards forepart of her - the snake, the serpent charmer as well as my feeble endeavour at serpent dance!
2. The Brazilian Gargle
 |
| Tibetan prayer flags. Photo by Paul VanDerWerf |
There was a pocket-size patio, overseeing the valley, alongside a twain of tables as well as chairs set out. Reading nether a light at night, listening to crickets as well as watching the frenzy of fireflies, is a chapter directly from the pages of a fairy tale.
One night, this quiet was beingness continuously rippled past times the coughing of a Brazilian boy. So, I went to the kitchen to acquire him hot H2O alongside a pinch of tabular array salt inwards a mug for gargle.
By the fourth dimension I came out, he had left. I went downward to the dorm looking for him. He was at the sink only nigh to brush his teeth. His dorsum was towards me. I stamped my pes twice, tinkling my anklets. The ringing of my talocrural articulation bells got his attention. I proffered him the mug. He looked confused. So, I took the mug close my lips, took a imitation quaff as well as threw my caput back. I offered him again, this fourth dimension he accepted it alongside a thankful smile.
Days later, when the class was over, he came to me as well as said, “Thanks for the tea that night. It made me vomit but pharynx was cured.”
Lesson learnt: Next fourth dimension I offering tabular array salt H2O to gargle to a foreigner, inwards silence, I’ll enact the spiting business office too.
3. Diwali minus the fireworks
One night, this quiet was beingness continuously rippled past times the coughing of a Brazilian boy. So, I went to the kitchen to acquire him hot H2O alongside a pinch of tabular array salt inwards a mug for gargle.
By the fourth dimension I came out, he had left. I went downward to the dorm looking for him. He was at the sink only nigh to brush his teeth. His dorsum was towards me. I stamped my pes twice, tinkling my anklets. The ringing of my talocrural articulation bells got his attention. I proffered him the mug. He looked confused. So, I took the mug close my lips, took a imitation quaff as well as threw my caput back. I offered him again, this fourth dimension he accepted it alongside a thankful smile.
Days later, when the class was over, he came to me as well as said, “Thanks for the tea that night. It made me vomit but pharynx was cured.”
Lesson learnt: Next fourth dimension I offering tabular array salt H2O to gargle to a foreigner, inwards silence, I’ll enact the spiting business office too.
3. Diwali minus the fireworks
 |
| Lighting diyas. Photo past times Tushita Meditation Centre. |
Don’t worry, I am non going to preach on environmental issues. I am sharing dinner-table stories here, remember? This ane is from the concluding dark of the stay.
Our mediation instructor had organized a Tibetan lighting ceremony, at the Stupa. When meditation was over, nosotros all were given ghee diyas. Still high on meditation, nosotros strolled towards the Stupa, lighting our diya, praying for the happiness of all sentient beings, as well as then sitting on ane of the mats that were set inwards the garden, watching others produce the same. It was similar Diwali had come upward early on this year, inwards a to a greater extent than beautiful avatar. When at that topographic point were no crackers to distract me, I could absorb the radiance of light. The lamps, the stars, the Luna overwhelmed me alongside their beauty, equally I reclined on my mat. I was calm on the surface, but picayune pockets of joy were opening within me. I never knew they existed!
4. Divided past times culture, united past times compassion
One evening, when I opened my eyes after meditating on ‘attachment’, I saw that the Gompa was filled alongside teary eyed faces. I was surprised to run across that the happy-go-lucky High German lady who sat side past times side to me was business office of the crying brigade too. I wanted to comfort her, but how?
That’s when a Jewish girl, her human face upward flushed alongside tears, met her eyes. Both of them straight off smiled. It wasn’t an embarrassed smiling or a brave smile, it was a variety as well as loving smiling that showed the usual pity that they instantly had for each other. The Jewish daughter as well as then rose from her seat, came to ours, as well as gave that lady a tight illegal hug (touching wasn’t allowed). When nosotros are non divided past times our cultures, pity finds a agency to unite as well as heal us.
Our mediation instructor had organized a Tibetan lighting ceremony, at the Stupa. When meditation was over, nosotros all were given ghee diyas. Still high on meditation, nosotros strolled towards the Stupa, lighting our diya, praying for the happiness of all sentient beings, as well as then sitting on ane of the mats that were set inwards the garden, watching others produce the same. It was similar Diwali had come upward early on this year, inwards a to a greater extent than beautiful avatar. When at that topographic point were no crackers to distract me, I could absorb the radiance of light. The lamps, the stars, the Luna overwhelmed me alongside their beauty, equally I reclined on my mat. I was calm on the surface, but picayune pockets of joy were opening within me. I never knew they existed!
4. Divided past times culture, united past times compassion
 |
| The meditation hall at Tushita. Photo past times Tushita Meditation Centre. |
One evening, when I opened my eyes after meditating on ‘attachment’, I saw that the Gompa was filled alongside teary eyed faces. I was surprised to run across that the happy-go-lucky High German lady who sat side past times side to me was business office of the crying brigade too. I wanted to comfort her, but how?
That’s when a Jewish girl, her human face upward flushed alongside tears, met her eyes. Both of them straight off smiled. It wasn’t an embarrassed smiling or a brave smile, it was a variety as well as loving smiling that showed the usual pity that they instantly had for each other. The Jewish daughter as well as then rose from her seat, came to ours, as well as gave that lady a tight illegal hug (touching wasn’t allowed). When nosotros are non divided past times our cultures, pity finds a agency to unite as well as heal us.
Have yous learnt nigh other cultures inwards unexpected ways on your travels?
***
AUTHOR BIO: Xavierite, Yoga addict, got 2 minutes of fame for beingness an amusement journalist for zoOm TV, at nowadays a total fourth dimension author as well as lyricist who keeps looking for windows to wander off on whimsical tours. Read her weblog at thewordnypmhetdiariess.wordpress.com or follow her on Twitter @kirti_tarang.
***
Visit www.indiauntravelled.com to discovery offbeat travel adventures across India.
To contribute invitee posts / photograph essays to this blog, delight run across our contribution guidelines and ship your story ideas to blog@indiauntravelled.com.
***
ALSO READ
*** ***