My Epiphany, Ladakh

INDIA | Friday, 7 December 2012 | Views [327] | View Smaller Image

It was very intriguing to watch the younger monks that were in training and the role they played in the monastery. Every morning, the prayers began as early as 4am and the younger monks were tasked with serving breakfast to the older monks that were chanting & praying. Breakfast traditionally comprises of hard bread & tea. The bread is soaked in the tea to soften it up before being consumed. It was amusing to watch the younger monks scurrying with the heavy kettles, making sure everyone had enough tea.

The morning chanting is an elaborate part of the monks' lives in the monasteries of Ladakh. Each morning, the monks rise as early as 4am and start chanting the Buddhist scripts in an eerily soothing & hypnotic harmony. One could be forgiven for thinking that some of the monks are in a trance, given their complete obliviousness to visitors in the monasteries. The monks are very open and welcoming and the only thing they ask of visitors is to be as unobtrusive as possible.

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As open and welcoming the older monks are, the younger monks are often more conservative & shy. Older monks have probably been more exposed to the concept of visitors taking photographs, however younger monks that are still adjusting to it often have a little difficulty which is usually very evident from their facial expressions and body language. This young monk was particularly shy and hid his face every time I tried to photograph him, eventually I happened to catch him at the most unsuspecting moment while he was observing the kind of photographs I was taking.

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My Epiphany, Ladakh

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