HEMIS MONASTERY FESTIVAL LADAKH | LETTERS & PICTURES FROM ASIA, 1988 | PART 12

In 1988, when I was eighteen years old I set off from New Zealand to Asia on an adventure. Accompanying me was my high school friend David. We were inspired by Tintin comics and National Geographic magazines. Although we had never actually been overseas before, we wanted begin our travels somewhere more exotic than the usual teenage Kiwi destinations. Our plans were vague - first Nepal, then India - then, after that, as far as our meagre holiday savings would take us. Once on the road, I wrote detailed and mostly illegible aerogrammes home, which my father kindly typed up to make readable for the rest of the family. My father also generously lent me his Pentax Spotmatic camera to ensure I got some good pictures. 

• Read the very first letter from Kathmandu here.
• Read the previous letter from the Markha valley trek here.

Monday 27 June 1988
Hemis, Ladakh
India

Dear Family,

The Hemis festival was really interesting. The festival celebrates the birthday of Padma Sambhava, the person who brought Buddhism to Tibet. I had talked to a German lady who was in her fifties and had lived at the monastery, and she explained a lot about the dances, which helped a lot. They all had very colourful masks and costumes; these were perhaps better than the actual dancing which was a little stiff. Basically all the dancers were different deities and it was all to do with the struggle of good overcoming evil, and the final dance was the death of the ego. The prayers that had been going on for days before the festival were to invoke these deities to become the dancers. I sat for hours inside the main hall listening to them. All the monks would sit along a long table and mumble prayers which seemed to fall into many layers. Periodically they would stop and crash cymbals, blow the horns and play these beautiful sounding, clarinet-like instruments. It was really fascinating, especially when they played this music; that was the most beautiful sound. I think that listening to these prayers was the best part for me.The festival itself was very chaotic. Hundreds of Ladakhis all dressed in their best clothes, all pushing and shoving. They wear the most incredible things; it's hard to describe but some of them look like they are from Dr. Who. I've taken photos of them so you'll be able to see what they look like. There were 'monk police' who are basically heavies who will without hesitation beat back crowds with a stick. They are not real monks, but are called lay monks.So the first day was mostly dances, but unfortunately we got stuck behind a row of dancers who were waiting at the side. This was a hassle because we couldn't see through their massive costumes.

During the breaks there are lots of restaurant tents, souvenir shops, palm readers, ear cleaners and other useful things like that. Did I tell you that when I was sitting in a park in New Delhi this guy came up and almost attacked me, telling me that he was a professional ear-cleaner? I managed to fend him off and made an escape; I don't want those grimy tools in my ear! You also get guys with great big rusty hooks trying to persuade you to let them pierce your ear.The second day was dances in the morning and blessings from the head lama in the afternoon. During the blessings a riot ensued. All the Ladakhis were so keen to get blessings that they stampeded the lama and the monk police just laid into them with the sticks. They were really violent. The Ladakhis were so eager that they didn't really care about the sticks, so throughout the blessings it was general mayhem. The poor old lama sat there trying to be calm, blessing any lucky person who made it through! It was pretty crazy, and although very chaotic and also very touristy, it was a very interesting experience.

Well, I'm back in Leh now sharing a room with the NZ girl and the Englishman; they are not the company that I would have chosen but I still like them and it's just the way that it has worked out. I enjoyed having a shower, I was dirty. When I looked at myself in the mirror for the first time in ten days, my face was black, my hair was like wire and my body was covered in a layer of grime! It's nice to be clean now.

I'm just relaxing for a few days spending my time eating and with various friends. I'll visit some more monasteries and then make my way down to Zanskar; apparently the Dalai Lama might be there when I am. I will try to find someone to trek with in Zaskar.

Today is Monday and the post office opens at 10 o'clock; hopefully I'll have some mail from you so I'll write more when I get that.

Leh
2 July 1988
Postcard of The Royal Palace

Dear Everyone,

I spent two days at Tikse Monastery (pictured above) and also Shey Monastery. They are really impressive and I went to the morning prayers. They both have huge statues in them of the Buddha.

My time at the moment is mostly spent lazing and eating - mostly eating.

The hotel that I moved to when the others I was staying with left was filled with bedbugs; I am now covered with horrible bites!. I moved to another hotel.

I'm not sure if I will be trekking in Zanskar; you really need a tent and I can't find anyone to go with me. Also my visa will run out and I must soon return to Delhi. I was thinking, Eunice, that maybe you should try to get a stopover in Delhi, perhaps! I will probably be there around the 15th or so; you must write straight away as I want to know what your plans are.

I seem to be completely surrounded by Israelis and they all make cheese from curd; this is really nice to eat.

I will probably leave Leh on or around the 4th - 5th, making my way slowly up to Kargil visiting all the Gompas. At Kargil I'II decide about whether to go trekking. The road is probably closed to Padum and for this year.

I want to go to the south of India next and visit Rajasthan.