Faces – Tungri and Tahan

24. September 2024

 

 

F

or my trek, I had asked a friend to arrange a horseman for me. I met Stanzin from time to time over the Zanskar years and we had some nice conversations. As there are so many Stanzins, you have to tell them apart and we all call this one Stanzin from Tahan – because that’s where he lives.

 

For the night before the trek, he urged me to sleep at his place. So that’s what I did. However, he apologised the whole time that it wasn’t so nice at his place and that the toilet wasn’t next door and there was no shower etc. But man, I know that! But man, I’ve been there! He lives with his wife and there’s a child on holiday at the moment, or rather a young man who I didn’t photograph. The children of all my Zanskar acquaintances are growing so fast!

 

Stanzin had picked me up in the morning – but didn’t have time for me, so he took me to his sister in the neighbouring village of Tungri. The sister (I don’t even know her name) is 49 years old and a nun.

 

Sister

 

This nunnery was also full of nuns of different ages and a teacher. He was from Mulbekh/Ladakh and had enjoyed his training in the south of India. Now he felt called to pass on his knowledge. While everyone I know and spoke to is not really a supporter of President Modi, this monk turned out to be a big fan. Modi is doing something for the poor people! His work is great, he is so good for the country! But apart from that, he actually thought progress was stupid. I pointed out innovations like the thermos flasks, the tap in the room, the rice for lunch etc. to him. Yes, it’s true, some of the things we have now are really nice.

 

I had a delicious lunch and hardly took any photos. This nun sat opposite me and happily tried to force countless cups of salty tea on me. and milk tea. And apricots. And biscuits. And and and….

 

Nun

 

Then the nun showed me the prayer room and read something to me and we started to really like each other. Despite only little English on her part, but you don’t necessarily need that to like each other.

 

buddhist text

 

reading

 

You can’t see it in these pictures and I only realised it quite late: one finger on one of her hands is badly crippled. Stanzin (he is 5 years younger) remembers that this was one of the reasons she joined the convent. She feared that she would not be able to do her usual work as well.

 

I then went for a walk in the valley beyond:

 

trail

 

I discovered an old rock painting. It’s always a great pleasure for me to spot something like this – without knowing why it’s actually there. But no matter: joy is joy. and here is the photo:

 

rock painting

 

In the valley there were also some beautiful rock formations

 

rocks

 

and a beautiful located Lhato:

 

Lhato

 

On my return, the sister nun was already waiting for me. I really needed to have a cup of tea with her. Her small cell was simple but cosy. Then I walked down to Tahan.

 

waiting nun

 

I discovered the new public bathhouse. Unfortunately without knowing whether it was actually being used.

 

bath house

 

In Tahan, I spent an enjoyable evening with Stanzin and his wife. I’ve rarely seen someone whose face moves so much and makes so many faces when she listens and talks. I should have filmed that, but I didn’t. They cooked me a delicious dinner together (Skiu) with things from their own garden.

 

cooking

 

There was also a turbulent little kitten there, which was also up to its tricks. It jumped around like crazy and was cute to look at. That night I was a bit awake with the light on and saw a nasty spider on my bed. In that moment I forget about Buddhist compassion for all living creatures – and bam, it was dead. But what to do with the corpse? Well, I’d think about that in the morning. But I didn’t have to, the lovely kitten came and ate the corpse! Then it cuddled on my lap for a long time.

 

kitten

 

Then the woman came into my bedroom and started making masses of chapatis. She began to moan and express her envy of me. I do have such a nice easy life, could travel around etc. And she? Just slaving away from morning till night. And now her knees hurt and everything. That’s always the point (i.e. it’s not the first time I’ve felt envious) where I don’t know what to say/do/react.

 

Yes, I’m also happy that I can lead my life the way I do with financial means, a great passport, a comfortable homeland, satisfactory health, etc. And, of course, I would prefer it to be like this for everyone. But that’s not the case right now. There would be a ‘it’s not all sunshine and roses here either’ – but considering what her life looks like now and what mine looks like, she is simply envious and relativising my life would seem hollow to me. Should I talk about karma because it exists in her Buddhist world view? That seems stupid to me too.

 

And so I shrug my shoulders, admit that I life is good to me – and still feel helpless and stupid. How do others actually deal with it?

 

Morningchapatis

 

And then it was time to set off on the trek. Or rather, it was already an hour later than planned. But that’s how it usually is. I was a bit excited. But finally it was time to start!