Bouddha

Next day we went to another Buddhist place - Kathmandu's region Bouddha, which is said to be one of the two most important holy places for Tibetan Buddhists outside Tibet. Indeed we spotted many lamas roaming around the place. The stupa itself is the largest one in Nepal.

Not far from the stupa there are a few monasteries for the lamas to pray and live in. We went to one called the White Monastery. We had to wait an hour till 16:00 when the monastery opened its doors for non-lama visitors. However, when we entered a ceremony (puja) had just began and we silently slipped along the wall. One of the lamas closest to us put a soft mattress on the floor indicating a place where to sit.

At first the praying lamas were staring at us shamelessly. For one we were non-lamas, for another we were not even men, so I could understand the stares. And soon they died away as the men in crimson robes returned to their prayers. For the next hour we enjoyed the beauty of Tibetan Buddhist prayers - they were chanting and singing in the rhythm of drums and trumpets, from time to time changing the tone and rhythm. The drums beat through our ears and a horn made such a high note that it seemed to penetrate our bodies. An unforgettable experience.

During the ceremony a man rounded the monks, pouring each a white liquid from a pale can. They gave us a little cup too and poured the queer liquid that tasted awful. Later we learned that it was Tibetan ciyah - made with a butter and salt.