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Travels / Roerich places

11.12.2009 : Kalimpong, India

(published on 11.12.2009)

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Earlier Kalimpong was important for me as place of residence of 17 Karmapa Thaye Dorje but now there gorkha disturbances in the region, they want to have their own independent state of Gorkhaland and are not happy with tibetians living there. Therefore our tibetian Lama does not live here anymore even though shedra (school for monks) still functions. Days when you could come at monsoon time and simply stay near Teacher were a true blessing but now over. Nowadays Karmapa lives mostly in Delhi and everything is very different there. Therefore now Kalimpong for us has same meaning as for most other travelers: it's just a nice mountain city with few temples, stupa and house of Elena Roerich.

Elena Roerich spent her last years in Kalimpong, died here and her ashes stay here in special stupa. Sign on the stupa reads Uruswati.

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There are other stupas with ashes of other Lamas next to temple, they look different.

There is contradictory information about this temple. Internet and guidebooks say that it is of Gelugpa order but images and statues inside the temple suggest it's Nyingma. So does writing on the gate.

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There are very interesting images on the walls. For example, lots of Diamond Dagger in various forms and Red Dakini.

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If anybody knows about Nyingma teachers, please, tell me who is this statue.

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And of course there are books with teachings of Buddha himself, regardless of all the latter lineages. They are traditional for all buddhist temples.

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Prayer wheels are around the building.

The temple does not consist of just ground floor, there is roof as well.

And small buildings at its corners are rooms of Mahakala with his wrathful face on doors.

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There is another shrine on the roof housing amazing three-dimensional mandalas.

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And there is small gompa with statue of thousand arm Chenrezi on the last floor.

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During warmer months you can enjoy nice view from the room but now everything is covered by mist, just like in Sikkim.

Even though it's much warmer here. Doves enjoy the sun and eat away a thorma.

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After the temple we proceed to Roerich museum, it's little bit down by the hill. Trying to find it you should ask for Crookety House as Elena Roerich name means nothing to locals.

This clean and cozy house is a huge contrast to usually poor and plain houses in the city.

The Roerichs were great aesthetes, it's obvious.

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House-museums of significant figures are a very specific genre. Honestly I do not really understand it. Well, you roam around looking how nicely these characters used to live... beautiful furniture, nice view from windows, stand with books and photos from place to place... I enjoyed the garden much more.

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Our taxi with Dharma wheel and Christian pendant takes us back to center of the city. It's all of Kalimpong as for now.

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India, Kalimpong. Wheel of Christian Dharma.
December 12, 2009
(published on July 18, 2010)

India, Varkala. Running away from India but before...
December 16, 2009
(published on October 20, 2010)

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