As I write this, I haven’t posted anything in about two months. I explained then that I was taking a little hiatus, and I did so and am still doing it. But having some free time, I decided that it was a good opportunity to send in a little something, as I do miss publishing on this forum and hearing from my buddies who are interested in the kinds of off the beaten path shots I like to submit. So here goes.

In a post a few months ago I asked how many of you knew anything about Bhutan. Now I ask the same question about Sikkim: How many of you heard of it? To try to explain, it is a state within India that is not quite considered to be a state within India. Does that make sense? We were there twice. Once in 2003 and again in 2017. And both times we had to obtain separate visa papers in order to visit this area. Not only that, we had to make certain that we did so AFTER we obtained our India visas so they (India) would not know that we were also going to Sikkim. Don’t ask.

Sikkim is not regarded as a full fledged country by the United Nations, although many “country counters” consider it to be such. Rather, as I just feebly tried to explain, it is a “state” in northeastern India, and it also happens to have a significant Tibetan community … which is the main reason we even visited, although the non Tibetan parts of Sikkim are certainly interesting enough. The presence of Tibetans in Sikkim can be traced back to the Tibetan diaspora that began in the late 1950s when Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, fled Tibet following the Chinese occupation. Many Tibetan refugees settled in various parts of India and Sikkim.

In Sikkim, as well as India, you can find Tibetan settlements and communities where refugees have established homes, monasteries, and businesses. These communities contribute to the cultural diversity of Sikkim, and Tibetan festivals, traditions, and cuisine are often celebrated and embraced in the region.

Rumtek Monastery, located near Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, is one of the prominent Tibetan Buddhist monasteries there and is a significant center for Tibetan culture and religion. Overall, the Tibetan community has become an integral part of the social fabric of Sikkim.

Every morning, the monks of Rumtek would gather in the courtyard. Clad in saffron robes, their heads shaved, and faces serene, they formed a solemn line that stretched like a nearly scarlet river through the peaceful surroundings.

The tradition of lining up to beg for food was a humble practice that had been carried on for centuries. It was a reminder of the monks' dependence on the generosity of the local community, fostering humility and gratitude within their hearts.

The head monk, venerable Thera Sumedha, leads the procession. With an alms bowl in hand, he moved gracefully along the line, whispering words of encouragement and reminding his fellow monks of the importance of their daily ritual.

As the sun ascends higher, the villagers from nearby hamlets gather and show respect for the monks and the teachings they embody. They prepared bowls of rice, vegetables, and fruits, carefully placing them into the alms bowls held out by the monks. The exchange is silent but profound, a sacred connection between the givers and the receivers.

The act of begging for food serves as a powerful lesson in detachment and interconnectedness. The monks accept whatever offerings come their way with equanimity, recognizing the impermanence of material possessions and the transient nature of life.
Once the alms bowls were filled, the monks return to the monastery, their footsteps softly echoing on the roadway in harmony with the rustling leaves and distant chants. The food collected would sustain them for the day, fueling both their bodies and their spiritual endeavors.

As the sun sets over Rumtek Monastery, a sense of gratitude envelopes the monks. The daily ritual of begging for food is not just a means of sustenance; it is a sacred dance of humility, a continuous reminder of the interconnectedness of all beings and the beauty that unfolds when a community comes together in the spirit of compassion.

I feel real lucky to have been able to witness this transaction, and to have seen it twice.

For the sake of continuity in this set of posts, I had to mix up the photos I took in 2003 with those from 2017. Although I did as much post processing on the older 3mp photos as I possibly could, they are not nearly up to the standard of the ones I took on the second trip with my much less primitive 20mp camera. The older cam also couldn’t handle the monastery’s dark interiors very well, so I opted not to post most of those here. Why spoil a not so bad thing?

As I write this, I haven’t posted anything in about two months. I explained then that I was taking a little hiatus, and I did so and am still doing it. But having some free time, I decided that it was a good opportunity to send in a little something, as I do miss publishing on this forum and hearing from my buddies who are interested in the kinds of off the beaten path shots I like to submit. So here goes.

In a post a few months ago I asked how many of you knew anything about Bhutan. Now I ask the same question about Sikkim: How many of you heard of it? To try to explain, it is a state within India that is not quite considered to be a state within India. Does that make sense? We were there twice. Once in 2003 and again in 2017. And both times we had to obtain separate visa papers in order to visit this area. Not only that, we had to make certain that we did so AFTER we obtained our India visas so they (India) would not know that we were also going to Sikkim. Don’t ask.

Sikkim is not regarded as a full fledged country by the United Nations, although many “country counters” consider it to be such. Rather, as I just feebly tried to explain, it is a “state” in northeastern India, and it also happens to have a significant Tibetan community … which is the main reason we even visited, although the non Tibetan parts of Sikkim are certainly interesting enough. The presence of Tibetans in Sikkim can be traced back to the Tibetan diaspora that began in the late 1950s when Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, fled Tibet following the Chinese occupation. Many Tibetan refugees settled in various parts of India and Sikkim.

In Sikkim, as well as India, you can find Tibetan settlements and communities where refugees have established homes, monasteries, and businesses. These communities contribute to the cultural diversity of Sikkim, and Tibetan festivals, traditions, and cuisine are often celebrated and embraced in the region.

Rumtek Monastery, located near Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, is one of the prominent Tibetan Buddhist monasteries there and is a significant center for Tibetan culture and religion. Overall, the Tibetan community has become an integral part of the social fabric of Sikkim.

Every morning, the monks of Rumtek would gather in the courtyard. Clad in saffron robes, their heads shaved, and faces serene, they formed a solemn line that stretched like a nearly scarlet river through the peaceful surroundings.

The tradition of lining up to beg for food was a humble practice that had been carried on for centuries. It was a reminder of the monks' dependence on the generosity of the local community, fostering humility and gratitude within their hearts.

The head monk, venerable Thera Sumedha, leads the procession. With an alms bowl in hand, he moved gracefully along the line, whispering words of encouragement and reminding his fellow monks of the importance of their daily ritual.

As the sun ascends higher, the villagers from nearby hamlets gather and show respect for the monks and the teachings they embody. They prepared bowls of rice, vegetables, and fruits, carefully placing them into the alms bowls held out by the monks. The exchange is silent but profound, a sacred connection between the givers and the receivers.

The act of begging for food serves as a powerful lesson in detachment and interconnectedness. The monks accept whatever offerings come their way with equanimity, recognizing the impermanence of material possessions and the transient nature of life.
Once the alms bowls were filled, the monks return to the monastery, their footsteps softly echoing on the roadway in harmony with the rustling leaves and distant chants. The food collected would sustain them for the day, fueling both their bodies and their spiritual endeavors.

As the sun sets over Rumtek Monastery, a sense of gratitude envelopes the monks. The daily ritual of begging for food is not just a means of sustenance; it is a sacred dance of humility, a continuous reminder of the interconnectedness of all beings and the beauty that unfolds when a community comes together in the spirit of compassion.

I feel real lucky to have been able to witness this transaction, and to have seen it twice.

For the sake of continuity in this set of posts, I had to mix up the photos I took in 2003 with those from 2017. Although I did as much post processing on the older 3mp photos as I possibly could, they are not nearly up to the standard of the ones I took on the second trip with my much less primitive 20mp camera. The older cam also couldn’t handle the monastery’s dark interiors very well, so I opted not to post most of those here. Why spoil a not so bad thing?

Hi Mark. As a guy who posts a lot, you know how much work it is to do so. To me, it's incredible that you manage to make such wonderful posts with such arresting travel narratives while you are actually still on the trip. In my case, most of the photos I show are from the past, both recent and far back, and the narratives are written after reviewing the contemporaneous notes my wife and I made back at the time ... along with my memories, of course. It was very time consuming for me to do so, especially since I had to post process many of my older 3mp pictures and digitized slides. That's why I took a break.

And that break continues. I'm not back to, as you put it, "posting" again. Just this one time ... for now. But I will post again, I promise. And I really appreciate your being happy that I just did so, as you're one of those people whose love of travel and artistic sensibilities I respect.

Be well, and please continue to please the rest of us with what you have to show.