I had wanted to meet the Dalai Lama for a while and had then though that the best way would be to head where the Dalai Lama resides and I knew he’w be in residence now. A lucky call from my dear relatives the Shivpuri’s made me head out for the cool breeze of Dharamshala and for the sermon of The Dalai Lama.

In the midst of all this i found the warm oasis of the Shiv Puri Family , who have been my host in discovering this mountain area. I had at my disposal their car their driver and their dog’s and off course their son Sunny who was like a nephew to me and who took me for a tour around the hill’s. Khushboo his bubbly little sister had been jumping around seeing my acting video’s and I felt like I have a home here. I forgot my nomadic life for a while and am enjoying the comfort of home made food and cheerful banter.

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After settling into the routine I was up early at seven and went to listen to the Lama’s sermon on my second day there. My first glimpse of his holiness was in his Tibetan attire. We were not allowed to take our camera’s into the sermon and I could not take a photo. Their was a large gathering of more then 500 people all listening to the sermon. A young Tibetan man had been murdered by local people and tensions were high and the lama was asking his flock not to retaliate and be patient. Prasadam of rice and milk was being distributed to everybody and Buddhist prayer ceremonies were being performed . A line of high priests carried bronze statue of the Buddha to the lama, who in turn blessed them and performed prayer on them. The sermon continued for three hours. I meandered through the crowd into the office are and where I had given a written application to meet the Dalai Lama. I was assured by the secretary that I would be given the opportunity to meet with his holiness the next day in the morning and would also get an opportunity to get my photo taken with him.

 

I drove back to the comfort of the Shivpuri home in the afternoon for lunch and a snooze. Evening was a discussion with my aunt on our family and how one by one everybody has gotten old or passed on I remarked “you know chachi i think even if one has had a hard life , it will be great if one has  a peaceful death , most of our relatives including my parent’s died in a lot of pain . I just hope and pray that when death comes it takes me away with out pain and suffering. A peaceful death is such a boon .”