Blue Mosque, Amman, Jordan

Blue Mosque, Amman, Jordan

Magnificent Mosque

King Abdullah I Mosque was built between 1982 and 1989. Construction began in 1982 on the orders of late King Hussein of Jordan and completed in 1989. It was built in memory of his grandfather, King Abdullah I. It is the only mosque open for non-Muslims visitors.

The Huge Dome tinted with Many Shades of Blue  

It is capped by a blue, mosaic dome .Therefore it is popularly known as the Blue Mosque.The twin minarets adds to its appeal.It is also known as Masjid Abdullah I. It is considered to be the largest and most modern of all the mosques in Amman.

History

On the 20^th of July 1951, King Abdullah I of Jordan and his grandson, Prince Hussein were in a mosque in Jerusalem for Friday prayers when an assassin opened fire on them. King Abdullah was shot thrice and he died immediately.

Prince Hussein was also hit but a medal ‘which his grandfather had pinned to his chest earlier, deflected the bullet’ and he was saved. Later, when he reigned as King Hussein (1952-1999) he built the King Abdullah I Mosque in Amman as a tribute to his grandfather.

Description

The Minaret

A View of the Mosque from the Courtyard

The Mosque is a big, round building without any pillars inside it. It is entered through a gift shop. We had to climb a few steps to reach a wide courtyard and then enter the shop in the basement, selling souvenirs. At its rear end there is a small antechamber with rows of black and coffee-brown abaya (full-length dress) on hangers. Each one of us wore an abaya according to our size and only then we could enter the mosque. The dress was given free of charge. Men must wear long trousers for entry inside the mosque.

Before Entering the Mosque

The mosque is situated on a higher platform so that we had to climb a few more steps.

Steps Leading to the Mosque

 Before entering the mosque we had to take off our shoes.

The Elaborate, Inner Courtyard Just outside the Mosque

The inside of the mosque is profound with depth and divinity. The large hall is carpeted with red, plush fabric. The ceiling is beautifully ornamented and the chandeliers are splendid.

The Embellished Ceiling

The  Glorious Chandelier

The Grand Interior

Colorful, Floral Dreamholes near the Ceiling 

There were about four entry and exit points besides the main entrance. Mecca is south of Jordan so people here face the south while praying. Photography is allowed inside. There is a small section for women and a smaller section for the royal family. Our guide told us that King Abdullah II comes here every morning during Ramadan. The space is large and 3000 worshipers can congregate at one time. There is a wooden pulpit-type structure from where the Maulvi delivers his sermons. 

A  Section Inside the Mosque

The whole complex (comprising of the mosque and the courtyard) has a capacity for 10,000 worshipers.

On the opposite street is Coptic Church facing the Mosque. Jordan’s population is comprised of 97.2% of Muslims and 2.2% of Christians.

Coptic Church

 Though the Blue Mosque is no longer the primary place for worship, yet thousands of foreign and local tourists continue to visit the mosque each year.

Photographs: Supplied

Ancient Philadelphia, Modern Amman

Ancient Philadelphia, Modern Amman

Ancient Roman Theater in Downtown Juxtaposed with Modern Amman  

Amman is not a strikingly beautiful city like Paris or Udaipur .But its cleanliness and orderliness are stunning. It is the fifth largest city in the Arab world. It is both: an ancient and a modern Arab city. East Amman is filled with historical sites while west Amman is the economic hub.

Its airport, Queen Alia International airport is functional and clean without any attempt at beautification. There were hardly any paintings or murals at the Arrival lounge .Some tall plants in pots broke the monotony of clinical cleanliness. Immigration was over in a jiffy because there were no long queues. Queen Alia International airport is a state-of-the-art airport and was named as the best airport in the Middle-East in 2014 and 2015 by Airport Service Quality Survey.

A View of Queen Alia Airport

The road from the airport towards the city was devoid of any scenic beauty …neither hills nor water bodies. There were some very tall trees, perhaps Aleppo pine and Washingtonia  bending towards the road with their slender bodies. The predominant feature was the arid landscape with sand-tinted soil. As we entered the city we saw large administrative buildings without any frills of extreme security. Finance Ministry Building, Culture Ministry building stood bang on the side of the road without an elaborate compound. There were only cars on the road and rarely buses. For public transport there were green taxis and in some places green and yellow taxis. There were no bikes, cycles, scooters, trucks, carts, stray animals, careless pedestrians or auto-rickshaws moving on the road to obstruct the smooth flow of traffic.

A Swanky Building in Amman 

Ancient History

Ancient Amman was founded in 7250 BC when Neolithic site of Ain Ghazal settlement was built in the outskirts of Amman, spanning over an area of 37 acres. During the Iron Age it was called Ammon under the rule of the kingdom of Ammonites in 13^th century BC. Amman became the capital of Ammonites and came to be known as Rabbath Ammon. In Hebrew Bible it is referred as ‘Rabbat Ammon’. Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the Macedonian ruler of the Ptolemaic kingdom who reigned from 283 to 246 BC, renamed the city to Philadelphia (brotherly love) after occupying it.The Hellenistic culture was introduced when Alexander the Great conquered Middle East and Central Asia. The Greeks founded new cities in Jordan, Jerash and Amman. The Romans  conquered much of the Levant (an ancient word for the area bounded by the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Peninsula) in 63 BC, thus starting a period of Roman rule that lasted for 4 centuries.During this time Philadelphia became an important economic center. The Roman rule in Jordan left several ruins such as Temple of Hercules and the Roman Theatre. During the late Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium), several churches were built and many Bishops were based in the city.

 Islamic era: In the 7^th century, around 630 AD, the Rashidun army conquered the region from the Byzantines beginning the Islamic era in Levant. Philadelphia was renamed Amman by the Muslims.

Amman was later destroyed by several earthquakes and natural disasters including the particularly severe earthquake in 747 . Since the city was rendered inhabitable due to damages caused by such calamities, it lost its importance from the middle of eighth century.

Modern Amman

The Ottoman Empire annexed the region of Amman in 1516 .Modern Amman dates back to the late 19^th century when Circassian immigrants were settled by the Ottoman Empire in 1867. They (immigrants) were mainly farmers so arable land was distributed among them to make them permanent settlers in Amman.  They built houses with stones from Roman theater.

In 1921 the Hashemite Emir and later King Abdullah I made Amman the capital of the newly created state, The Emirate of Transjordan which became the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1950. This attracted immigrants from Palestine, Al-Salt, Al Karak, and Madaba. Many Palestinian refugees came during 1948 Arab-Israel war and 1967 six-day war. Iraqi and Kuwaiti refugees settled in Amman after 1991 Gulf war and 2003 invasion of Iraq. Syrian refugees came to Amman during Syrian Civil War in 2011. Amman is not only the capital of Jordan and its largest city but also its economic, cultural and educational hub. The refugees came to live a safe, secure and prosperous life in Amman. Vast majority of them live in and around Amman. According to UNHCR report, Jordan stands second in the world with the highest number of refugees. The ratio is 89 refugees per 1000 inhabitants.  

But the security was shattered when on 9^th November, 2005, Al-Qaeda launched a terrorist attack on Amman city in three hotel lobbies which resulted in the death of 60 people. 115 people were injured in this attack.

A View of  Amman's Old Area

The Constitution of Jordan vests executive authority in the king and in his cabinet. The king signs and executes or vetoes all laws.

 Amman’s terrain is typified by hills (Jabal) and valleys (Wadi).The main trees are Aleppo pine, Mediterranean Cypress and Phoenician Juniper.

Amman's Typical Trees

Limestone Hills near Amman

 Amman was initially built on 7 hills but now it is spread over 19 hills after it became the capital of Jordan and the influx of refugees from war-torn countries.

Amman from the Highest Hill, Jabal Al-Qal'a, the Ancient Site of Rabbath Ammon 

Lifestyle        

Amman has mostly a Sunni Muslim population. A large numbers of Christians from throughout Jordan particularly from Al-Salt have moved to Amman. Sky-scraping apartments are not allowed and residential buildings are limited to four stories above street level and if possible another four stories below according to Greater Amman Municipality regulations. The buildings are covered with thick white limestone or sandstone. The buildings usually have balconies on each floor which has a front and back yard. In the downtown, a great mass of light yellow greeted us because all the buildings were of the same color. While travelling by bus I saw some beautiful mansions by the side of the highway. They were distinctive because the white /yellow houses made use of maroon Mangalore tiles on the roof or as cover on the porches.

Amman is Jordan’s commercial center and International trade center. It is one of the most liberal and westernized cities in the Arab world. Shisha lounges were seen on road side. Shisha lounge (Hookah bar) is a place where patrons share shisha (flavored tobacco) from a communal hookah. The culture of Jordan is predominantly Arabic and Islamic but there is a marked influence of Western culture. Jordanian conservative women wore their traditional attire called jilbab which are floor-length, long-sleeved, loose-fit dresses. Their heads were covered in scarves. Some women wore modern, western clothes but they were very modest and decent; not at all provocative or flashy. Men wore trousers and buttoned shirts. I did not see any local man wearing shorts or going shirtless. The men and women were smartly and neatly dressed and scruffy men and women did not come to my notice. It seemed that Jordanians take their personal grooming very seriously. There are many swanky malls in Amman. Amman is the fourth highest visited Arab city and is the hub for medical tourism. The climate in November was moderate. In the morning it was pleasant and in the evening it was quite chilly.   

The city has frequent bus connections to other cities in Jordan as well as major cities in neighboring countries. Internal transport is served by a number of bus routes and taxis. Service taxis are the most common way to get around Amman because they are readily available and inexpensive.

The Amman region hosts Jordan’s highest concentration of education centers. There are 20 universities in Amman. Two highways from Amman lead straight to Jerusalem .Population of Amman in 2020 is 1,275,857.  

Guide Talk 
Our local guide introduced us to his country, Jordan’s political system. It is monarchical but has a parliament. The king, Abdullah II has been sovereign since the death of his father, King Hussein in 1999.He belongs to The Hashemite, the royal family of Jordan.  Education and health for its citizen are free. A sick person is given the best treatment in the government hospital and if he is not cured the patient is sent to a foreign country for further treatment at the government’s expense. The king frequently disguises himself as a taxi driver and while ferrying passengers gets report of his countrymen firsthand. The royal family trusts the Bedouin; therefore the royal bodyguards are made up of Bedouins. The tribe also occupies government posts nowadays and more and more Bedouins are coming into the mainstream. The Bedouins can be differentiated from the Jordanians by their accent and dark skin. Bedouins are regarded as the backbone of Jordanian culture.



Reference: Wikipedia
Photographs: Bulbul Sur.

Moses' Spring

Moses’ Spring

While travelling to Petra from Amman, our guide suddenly stopped our bus at a place just outside Petra. It was sundown and already dark. From our bus we could see the lighted city of Petra on the hill. To our right was a simple, small building but of great historical and Biblical importance. In it exists Moses’ Spring.

Moses' Spring

Location

Moses’ Spring is located in Wadi Musa, a town in Southern Jordan and about 250 km from Amman, capital of Jordan.  Wadi Musa is the nearest town to Petra’s 5^th century BC archaeological site. Wadi Musa (Valley of Moses) is named after Moses because he stopped at this exact place and as soon as he struck a rock, spring water gushed out.   

History

During Exodus, Prophet Moses and the Israelites were passing through the Petra area in Edom when Moses struck a rock with his staff and brought forth water for his thirsty followers. This site, located along the Petra Highway, is called Ain Musa (Moses Well). Nabateans/Nabataeans, the Arab nomadic tribes who roamed the Arabian Desert in classical antiquity, built channels that carried water from this spring to the city of Petra.  

The Rock that Moses Struck with his Rod

According to the Bible, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land but could only see it from Mount Nebo because he struck the rock with his rod to bring forth water, instead of speaking to it, as God had commanded (Number 20:12-24).

The spring still flows and waters the groves while running down the hill. This three-domed, single-level building is an immense historical and holy place, but somehow it is not highlighted enough as a tourist attraction like Petra.Inside the edifice is the rock on which Moses supposedly struck and also the channel of water contained in concrete structures.Some tourists were filling bottles with this holy water.    

Channel of Water 

Photographs: Bulbul Sur

Tags: Moses, Moses' Spring, Wadi Musa, Ain Musa, Petra Highway

Philadelphia's Roman Theater

Philadelphia's Roman Theater

 Philadelphia’s Roman Theater

A Courtyard View of the Roman Theater  Photo:supplied

The second century Roman Theater in the Jordanian capital, Amman was built during the Roman period when Amman was called Philadelphia (brotherly love) after Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the Macedonian ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom. It was renamed Amman in the 7^th century during the Islamic era.

The Roman Theater is a famous landmark in Amman.  It is located in the old city called downtown.

The first look is from a hill­—a sunken masterpiece against a background of sun-bleached yellow buildings.          

A large,open courtyard precedes the theater. Before the entrance gate is a long sequence of columns of various heights.The signboard put up by the Department of Antiquities at the entrance reads that the Roman Theater was built during the time of Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD).This antique theatre is a meeting point of three A’s—Architecture, Act (theatrical) and Acoustics. 

Architecture

Generally the exterior of Roman theaters depended on Orography (physical geography dealing with mountains).Since this theater was built against a hill the site had an added advantage because it seemed that the most important rows were directly fixed on the ground, that is on the slopes of the hill. The upper seats looked as if they were carved out of the living hill. This 6,000-seater theater, like most Roman creations, is gargantuan, sloping towards the audience. It is oriented north to protect the spectators from the sun. 

Architecture of the Roman Theater consists of the sloping cavea (enclosure/seating arrangement), the flat stage for the chorus (the orchestra) and the stage building with the raised stage for the actors. There were three defined areas for action: scaenae (stage building), orchestra/arena for spectacle /entertainment and cavea (seating arrangement).

A view of the Media Cavea,Summa Cavea,Vomitoria and Praecinctio

The cavea was divided in three horizontal sections according to the social class of people. The ima cavea is the lowest section and directly surrounds the orchestra. It was the most desirable seating and was usually reserved for the higher class of society. Right above the ima cavea is the media cavea, the middle section of seating reserved for soldiers and respectable citizens, mostly men .The summa cavea is the highest tier of audience seating and was usually open to foreigners, women, children and urban poor/commoners. The front row was called the prima cavea and the last row was called cavea ultima. The lower and upper rows of seats were further divided vertically for easy access. There are small cave-like openings on the zone of rows of summa and media cavea.   They are called Vomitoria or passageways and they are situated below or behind a tier of seats through which big crowds could exit rapidly and for actors to enter on and off the stage. They formed an efficient network for audience traffic. Praecinctio or walkways between the upper and lower tiers of seats are also visible.  

Due to the semi-circular shape of the cavea every seat had a view of the stage. The highest sections of seats in this theater, even though far from the stage offer excellent sightlines.

The side entrances   exist at ground level, one leading to the orchestra and the other to the stage. The rooms behind these entrances now house The Jordan Museum of Popular Tradition on the east side and the Jordan Folklore Museum on the west side.

 The scaenae frons is the elaborately decorated, permanent architectural background of the Roman theater stage and it enhanced the visual impact because it was all the time before the eyes of the spectators. The ornamental frieze and decorated cornice of the entablature on the scaenae frons add to the beauty.It has a central gateway called porticus through which we entered the main area of the theater housing the pulpitum (raised platform stage), cavea and orchestra.

Porticus, Scaenae Frons and Proscenium

 The stage building is bleached yellow in color, the same as the structures in Amman.A proscenium or a low wall separates the stage from the audience.

The Wooden Floor of the Stage Building

 There is a closed, yellow door on one side of the theater. Our guide told us that during gladiatorial matches lions would be sent through that door.  

Closed Door,Ima Cavea and The  Jordan Museum of Popular Traditions on the Pulpitum

The cavea is further divided by scalae or flight of steps. The steps leading to the different sections of the cavea are high and steep but they are climbable to the top.

Since this theater was carved from a hill, series of arches are missing.  

Act (Theatrical)

The actors required a very unfussy atmosphere—a stage building with the raised stage (or scaena) for the actors to perform, the flat stage area for the chorus where the action takes place and of course the audience in the cavea.

Each acting company had a handful of qualified actors. Among them only 2-3 of the actors in the band would have speaking roles in a show while other actors in the ensemble with non-speaking roles would be present on the stage as assistants to the performing actors.

The stage was used only by the actors who entered the playing space from the side entrances.   

Since the audience was not quiet and would discuss everything under the sun—from the weather to other plays, the actors developed the art of pantomime or acting without words. The actors had to wear masks and costumes (which denoted their roles) and played their parts with appropriate gestures to get across the meaning to the spectators; they (actors) had to sing and dance in this huge open-air theater. All this required great stamina and agility on their part. Men wore brown masks. Since women were not allowed to act their parts, the female parts were normally played by men or young boys wearing white masks.

Acoustics

This Roman theater built thousands of years ago had such advanced system of acoustics that even modern theaters use those functions for the presentation of musical or theater performances. Not only are the seats good for straight lines of obstacle-free vision between the spectator and the spectacle from various points but they are also good for acoustics. Even a whisper in the performing area would be projected to the entire stadium, right to the topmost seats.

1) Geometric Shape: The curved cavea enhanced natural acoustics. It quickly directed most of the reflected sounds towards the audience sitting in every section. The actors could be clearly heard because of the steepness of the cavea.

2) The dimension for seating, the risen height of the rows (of seats) and the sloping cavea ensured minimal blocking of sound by the lower tiers, and resulted to the fine tuning of the strong, direct and reflected sounds.

3) Strong acoustic reverberation was produced by the hard materials of the theater surface which generated sufficient reflected and scattered sound energy. The sound was bounced off the highly porous stone surface and created an echo.  

5) Sound was further reflected by the large wall behind the cavea which acted as an obstacle and prevented the sound from being dispersed.   

A View of the Cavea with the Boundary Wall

There is a point in the center of the performing area or orchestra where the actor’s voice would echo so that the person sitting in the last row at the top would be able to hear the actor clearly.

The Echoing Point

Jordan Museum of Popular Traditions

It is located within the eastern section of the Roman theater .It has five exhibition halls each displaying different items. The first hall  displays traditional costumes of the east bank; the second  showcases traditional jewelry and cosmetic items of the various regions of east and west banks; the third hall displays Palestinian costumes and head dresses; the fourth displays collection of  pottery and wooden cooking pots and food preparation vessels; silver ornaments and bridal dresses from the west bank. The fifth hall is interesting. It is in a vault of the Roman theater and it houses a collection of mosaics from Byzantine churches in Jerash and Madaba.

Traditional Costumes,Cooking Utensil and Handicraft (photo:supplied)

An Upper-Class Lady (photo:supplied)

Costume and Traditional Utensil (Photo:supplied)

The Roman Theater is a popular getaway because we found lots of people sitting on the steps, even on the uppermost rows and enjoying themselves. It is a cultural hub for hosting various programs. The International Amman Book Fair was held here.

The theater was badly damaged by earthquake and it was restored in 1957.Some of the original columns are very much in place. The visit to the theater , steeped in history, was an enchanting experience.

An Expansive View of the Roman Theater

 photo: supplied

Photographs:Bulbul Sur

Tags: Philadelphia, Amman, Roman Theater, Cavea, Pulpitum,Vomitoria, Praecinctio,Scaenae Frons,Jordan Museum of Popular Traditions

Sense of God in Ladakh's Monasteries and Indian Army, BRO's Heroic Service

Sense of God in Ladakh's Monasteries,in Indian Army and in BRO’s Heroic Service

Spituk Monastery

Spituk Monastery (Photo: commons.wikimedia.org)

Spituk Monastery is on a hill and is located about 8 km away from Leh. It is situated at a height of 3,307 meters (10,852 feet) above sea level. It is also known as Spituk or Pethup Gompa (Gonpa). If you look above, you see the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas and if you look below you’ll get a breathtakingly beautiful view of the Indus valley. The river Indus flows behind the monastery. The monastery was built in the 11^th century.

 As we climbed up the rectangular stone steps we came across prayer wheels frequently at each landing. There are shaded seating arrangements at the commencement of the climb for those not preferring the ascent. The climbing up is indeed steep because of the high steps. The ascent is organized in such a way that there is a series of irregular levels with short flight of steps. Though it was very arduous we climbed to the top but some of us had to frequently sit on the steps for some time to catch our breaths. While climbing down we could enjoy the white, pink and mauve cosmos flowers bordering the steps.

Display Board Highlighting the History 

Architectural Beauty

Spituk means exemplary. When Lotsewa Rinchen Zangpo (revered translator of Buddhist Scriptures) came to this place he prophesied that an exemplary religious community would arise and so the monastery was called Spituk. The monastery was founded by Od-de, elder brother of Lha Lama Changchub Od. It started as a Red Hat institution or Kagyupa sect but it was taken over by the Gelugpa sect or Yellow hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism in the 15^th century. The hats refer to the elaborate crescent-shaped hats worn by followers during ceremonies. The Chinese invented the terms so that they could remember the different sects in easy terms. Spituk monastery contains a collection of thangkas, masks, antique arms and several images and statues of Lord Buddha.

 On the pinnacle of the monastery is the Kalika Mandir/Kali Temple which is dedicated to Vajrabhairava Deity. The faces of the idols were covered and they would be opened only during festivities. Many monasteries had such Kalika Mandirs on the highest peak, as a tutelary deity guarding the premises, a protector. Since the puja was done by tantric, so the faces of the idols were covered as our guide told us and they would be unveiled only during festivals. There is a huge terrace attached to this section.  And the view is stupendous. On one side are the snowy mountains against an ultramarine sky and the Indus River flowing silently. On the other side is the Indus valley resplendent with greenery and human habitation. There are facilities available at one end of the terrace.

The Indus Valley

                                                          

Plantation and Human habitation in the Valley  

The Indus River 

                                               Hemis Monastery

Hemis Monastery  Hidden in the Himalayas  (Photo: Kmohankar) 

On the way back from Pangong Lake, we went to Hemis Monastery. It is located 45 km from Leh. It is situated on the highlands of Ladakh Himalayas, along the west bank of Indus River. The road leading towards it is enchanting through hills and green valleys. As you proceed towards Hemis you will come across River Indus flowing as a narrow strip along the side of the road .There are forests of juniper, birch and poplar trees and small villages in valleys.

History

The history of the monastery is elaborately inscribed in display boards in the complex in which it is said that Gyalwa Gotsanpa Gonpo Dorje came to Ladakh in the 13^th century and established the Drukpa lineage here. According to historians, this monastery existed before the 11^th century. Naropa is associated with Hemis Monastery.  He was an ancient Buddhist scholar who also presided over the operations of Bihar’s Nalanda University’s monastery as a chancellor (abbot). He left the place when Nalanda University was destroyed by Turkish and Afghan forces. It is said that he travelled far and wide to find a secluded place to build the monastery so that it would be hidden from public view and would not be invaded by foreign aggressors. This might be the reason why he went to Hemis where he met yogi Tilopa, the tantric master, considered to be the founding father of Kagyu lineage of the Himalayan esoteric Buddhism. Hence Hemis is the main seat of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery was re-established in 1672 by the Ladakhi king, Sengge Namgyal.Hemis monastery is of the Drukpa lineage or Dugpa or Red Hat sect. 

Description

Entrance of Hemis Monastery (Photo:Bernard Gagnon)

Courtyard of Hemis Monastery (Photo:rajendranathbanerjee.com)

Hemis, a Himalayan Buddhist Monastery (gompa/gonpa) is situated at a height of 12,000 feet above sea level. From the parking area, you have to climb a few steps to reach a high platform which leads to a few more steps and then you reach the entrance. Only after you enter through the main doorway can you finally see the monastery.  The first thing that attracts you is the extensive courtyard. From the courtyard, a few steps lead to the prayer hall. The landing of the staircase gives an expansive view of the mountains surrounding it .A striking scene from here is a golden Buddha statue on one side of the opposite mountain. This statue represents Maitreya or Compassion.

Statue of Buddha  (Photo:Reflectionsbyprajakta)

Since the monastery was mostly invisible to the outside world, hidden by the tall, barren mountains, it was never plundered by the invaders. Therefore, it is the wealthiest one in Ladakh and the largest Monastic Institution in Ladakh.

The monastery is large. From the courtyard a flight of steps lead to the main prayer Hall where there is a huge, golden statue of Lord Buddha.

Lord Buddha inside the Monastery  (Photo:Reflectionsbyprajakta) 

The museum on one side of the courtyard is wonderful with a lot of exhibits. It contains historical and religious paintings (Thangkas), weapons, large collections of Buddhist relics, historical scrolls, precious idols and ancient items. Outside the museum there is a shop selling souvenirs.  

Hemis Monastery is famous for the two-day Hemis festival which falls in June-July according to the 5^th month of the Tibetan calendar. It is dedicated to the birth anniversary celebration of Lord Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) who was an 8^th century Buddhist master from the Indian subcontinent. According to legend he defeated the dark forces with the help of Vajrayana Buddhism.

The ceremonies begin early morning in the sprawling courtyard with the playing of musical instruments. The portrait of ‘Rygyalsras Rinpoche’ is displayed so that the assembled gathering can worship Him. The mask dances are the highlight of the festival. They are known as Cham performance and this is essentially a Tantric tradition. These dances are performed only in those gompas which follow the tantric Vajrayana teachings and where the monks perform tantric worship. It is believed that celebrating the Hemis festival bestows good health and spiritual strength.

Guru Rinpoche (Photo: John Hill)

Amphitheatre-like Structure on the Mountain 

                                      BRO -- Border Road Organization

Himank or Project Himank is a project of BRO in the Ladakh region that started in August 1985. Its main role is "constructing operational road infrastructure for the armed forces in inhospitable far flung border areas including the world’s highest motorable roads across the Khardung La, Tanglang La and Chang La.…”It is only due to Himank that the Indian army could get access to Siachen Glacier (the world’s highest battle ground), and Pangong Tso. In BRO’s signboards we could see the mention of Himank and on some signboards it was written ‘Mountain Tamers’ which is a nickname for BRO.   

BRO has done a wonderful job by making roads through the uninhabitable parts of the country; so remote that for great stretches no living being could be seen; neither human beings not cattle. All the roads are good, much, much better than potholed roads in cities. The working season for BRO is only four months because for the rest of the year the roads are blocked due to snowfall and extreme cold climate. Between 1987 and 2002 at least 124 Himank personnel were killed on duty in Ladakh which included 5 officers.

They are not only content in building roads in such hazardous conditions but also caution us to safeguard ourselves. With superb witticism BRO has analyzed SPEED: Stupid People Ending Everyone’s Days.

The signboards of BRO also speak volumes about their poetic bent and their sense of humor:

Speed is a knife

Which cuts through life.

*

Better to be Mr.Late

                                                                 Than to be late Mr.

*

Safety on Road is

‘Safe tea’ at home.

*

After whisky

Driving risky.

*

Indian Army

While travelling through desolate, curly roads with hairpin bends or climbing up the challenging passes, nearly at every dangerous juncture we encountered the Indian army. It was very reassuring to see the army providing free tea in the chilling climate of Chang La or standing guard in Godforsaken places. In some remote areas there were tea stalls of the basic type and the facilities attached to them were dismal. In one halt, the bathroom was behind a makeshift tin shed with a pit dug in the ground and covered with a tin can. This showed that development was very far away in some places in Ladakh. But the army personnel were doing their duty in spite of such challenging conditions. When the journey through the unending, risky road was tiresome and fearful then it was inspiring to see an army check post in a barren tract and two soldiers standing on either side of the road with the national flag held aloft.    

Lord Buddha had said, “Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” The monks in the monasteries have the bare minimum of material possessions needed to live their life. They have given up their families and society and embraced God. They do selfless meditation for the betterment of the whole world. They attain enlightenment to help others, they meditate for world peace. According to Lord Buddha's teachings, Buddhist monks are taught to focus on one thing at a time peacefully and with sustained concentration. “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”

If the monks have an appointment with God everyday, BRO and Indian army have an appointment with life every single moment. They are doing noble service to the country of not only safeguarding the integrity and security of the nation but also uniting India. They live in isolation, without their families. Danger is their companion. They work hard, without impressing or distracting people with their showiness.  'There is nowhere else to be, nothing else to do, except the work at hand'. They also follow Lord Buddha’s teachings through their work, “What you’ll be is what you do now.”

The monks, the army and BRO personnel exemplify Buddha’s teaching to the fullest, “Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life.”

Photographs: Bulbul Sur