Dharamshala, a second visit
Trip Start
Jul 28, 2007
1
41
90
Trip End
Nov 10, 2008
Dharamshala,
India
Friday, April 11, 2008
Every evening around 5h30 - 6pm the people gather at the main street corner and get ready to demonstrate. Monks, local people of different nationalities, not only Tibetans, and tourists hold candles and walk around the 2 streets of Dharamshala repeating the same thing over and over again. Then every one walks into the monastery for a one hour reunion. The first evening I didn't follow them. I don't know exactly what is going on because I haven't been following the news so I am quite confused and cannot believe everything I see posted on the walls here. I like China too much to take part with the Tibetans, though I also love the Tibetan people. I do not think that the Olympics should be used that way. I really need to find out what is really happening.
Eventually, I decided since I was there, that I should go in to see what was going on. So last night I followed the crowd into the monastery. Wow! There were a lot of people in there, probably almost as many as when the Dalai Lama was teaching. It was really something to see all the people sitting there holding candles! A caucasian woman was standing at the front with the speakers holding a banner that says "Save the Penchen Lama" and 2 flags. She stood there for the whole hour. Someone talked in Tibetan for a while, than the people said a prayer. There were a few more speakers who's words whatever they were and surely against China were received with applauses. Then everyone stood up and I thought it was over, but they all started singing. It was beautiful and very powerful. The whole thing was over shortly after that and everyone left saying the same words over again.
That same day at lunch I had been to the monastery with Robin. The people had just finished praying and were having a free lunch offered by the monastery. We were offered food and took it even though we were a bit worried for our stomach. The crowd was mainly composed of monks and old people. They quickly cleared the place after lunch. They were coming back again to pray at 1h30pm.
At lunch today I went to a restaurant I had been before and like because of the music and good pizza. When I walked in I asked the Tibetan woman why there was no music playing and she explained to me that they remain closed every morning and don't play music while the demonstrations are on to pay respect to the people who have died recently in Tibet.
I am leaving Dharamshala today and wonder if I will see any other demonstrations between now and the time I leave India. I guess my plan B to escape to China through Nepal and Tibet is definetely not a possibilty right now.
