Safely here

pictures: craftsman at Chandichok bazaar;
celebrating N. Pema's 4th birthday as a monastic


After 24 hours+ enroute, we arrived safely in Delhi. We are approx 11 1/2 hours ahead of US Central Time (yes, that is 11 hours and 30 minutes). So it is morning of the 29th for us here and nighttime of the 28th for you. We have a nice guesthouse and are enjoying Tibetan style foods. Last evening 8 of us went out to dinner to celebrate the 4th anniversary of Ngawang Pema taking monastic vows. We shared many new dishes and when all was said and done, the entire meal cost about $10 for the 8 of us.

Yesterday N. Pema took me to the cloth sellers and then the tailor and I am having a set of monastic robes made - the entire winter set and all said it will cost a little under $50. I still need to have a set of summer weight robes made (they need to order in a different bolt of cloth for that), but you can see we are having good prices.

Enough of price comparisons. Now for the good stuff. Down the street from our guest house is a small monastery. Every morning from 7-8 am there are prayers/chants broadcast in the streets of this neighborhood from the monastery. It is so pleasant to hear this every morning. We are staying in a Tibetan resettlement neighborhood with narrow streets, many shops, ordinary people and monks walking the very narrow streets. So far we have not seen female monastics other than those in our group. Everyone watches us as we walk down the streets. I still feel like I am walking a gauntlet of eyes and I hope my comportment is appropriate - not too "American" (read rude) and and yet confident and respectful. Cross cultural communication is a challenge for me here. I find I am constantly amazed at how Pema graciously negotiates this aspect and I hope by the time we leave, I will have learned to be as skillful as she at this.

We leave soon for a day at the bazaar and then our major "shopping" is over and we are to be on a more strict mind of pilgrimage. For those at home who are joining us in spirit, Rinpoche is asking that practice 3 times per day (at least).

I may not get back on for several days. I am not sure. We leave tomorrow for our next destination and will return here at the end before we depart India.

may there be a rain of dharma