Gyuto Monastery, also known as the Dratsang and Gyuto Tantric Monastery, is an iconic symbol of Tibetan Buddhism. Situated in the lap of the Himalayas at Yole, often referred to as mini-Lhasa due to the significant presence of Buddhist monks in exile, the monastery is located around 8 kilometres from McLeod Ganj, the mini-Tibet in India. This sacred site is a testament to the resilience and spiritual richness of Tibetan Buddhism, which is also a prominent institute for the study and practice of the Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan tantric teachings.
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| An Buddhist monk Walking towards Gyuto Temple at Monastery complex |
As I sat there for some time, my
legs were relaxed and my mind attuned to the rhythmic sounds of the
surroundings, I was staring at the giant mountains. Suddenly, the police
officer asked me, "Madam, do you regularly visit this place?”, I
replied “No”. This sparked my curiosity, and I began asking him about the
monastery. He began with, "Do you know the history of this place?" I
said “No”, He replied;
Oh! Its history traces back to
the 14th century in Tibet, where Jetsun Kunga Dhondup, a Tibetan monk,
established two temples in 1475: Ramoche and Karmapa Temple. Both monasteries
were originally located in Lhasa, Tibet. Karmapa Temple was the main tantric
college of the Gelug tradition, attracting thousands of students. The monks of
Gyuto are renowned for their tradition of overtone singing, known as
"chordal chanting."
After the Chinese invasion of
Tibet in 1950, the Ramoche Temple became a primary target of the People's
Liberation Army. People's liberation army indiscriminately shot Tibetans, whether
they had participated in the resistance movement or not. The violent
"Battle of Lhasa" saw the poorly prepared Tibetans forced to
admission of defeat, allowing Mao to impose communist rule over Tibet. This led
the Dalai Lama to flee to India with 60 monks, eventually finding refuge in
Dharamshala.
Following his receipt of the
Nobel Peace Prize, the Dalai Lama used financial grants to establish the Gyuto
Karmapa Monastery, which now houses about 500 monks responsible for religious
chanting and performing ceremonies. The monastery is typically based on Tibetan
architecture. The walls of the monastery are painted yellow and red, matching
the color of the door. After staying for a while, I approached the main temple
complex, where a calm and golden statue of the Buddha stands as the focal point
of peace and enlightenment. Multiple followers bow down their heads and pray.
The surroundings are filled with tiny detailed embroidery and Mandala paintings
on the roof. There is a high seat reserved for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who
occasionally visits the temple. Adorned with his picture in his absence, this
seat showcases the importance of his leadership. Monks at Gyuto perform chordal
chanting.
I sat there for almost an hour,
in the cold winds and cloudy evening, listening to the laughs of the kids
returning from their studies. The waves of their attire resonated with my mind.
An accidental visit turned out to be the memorable moment of my life in
Dharamshala.
Monastery is home to
highly trained and knowledgeable monks who pass on the teachings of Buddha to upcoming generations. Hundreds of people visit this temple daily in search of
knowledge, peace, culture, and religious beliefs. I was also one of them, visiting
this remarkable place with a hungry stomach and tired legs, after returning from
a field visit for a research project assigned by the Central University of
Himachal Pradesh. My quest for food led me to the monastery's canteen, where a
kind Buddhist monk offered me a Tibetan cookie and I ordered a cup of tea. After enjoying the tea and
cookies, I walked towards the monastery to give rest to my legs and sat under a
beautiful tree. A police officer from Kangra Police was already sitting there. Blend
of bird's voice and the laughter of playing students felt like a
symphony, with the monastery playing the role of an open theatre.
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