Around the Town

Animals share the town with people and vehicles. Although we see cows regularly in our "neck of the woods," they're never seen hanging out, as this one is, in front of someone's building, along with the stone, brick and other construction materials waiting to be used on the building behind. Traffic is held up regularly by these great and sacred bovines!
The road to Dharamsala, the next largest town south of McLeod Ganj, is a steep and winding 3km walk. Small hamlets where people have general stores, food and auto repair shops and, amazingly, internet cafes and ATM machines (!) are found along the road. Typically, roofs are made of corrugated tin or, in the case of this home, slate. Notice the almost perfectly cut (probably by hand) squares of slate layered here. They do not appear to be nailed but simply lay atop one another from row to row and held in place by large rocks. What we pay dearly for in the states is overabundant here in India.
Going to the main temple is always peaceful. Watching the monks, visitors and locals use the temple to pray, play, read, meditate, and eat, as in the case of the monks here, is a reminder of how important Buddhism is to the people of India and Tibet. Many Indians practice Hinduism. However, as a gentleman in Dharamsala explained to me last weekend, Hinduism was the origin of many Eastern religions, including Buddhism.

Monks are often found leaving the temple grounds. Many live at smaller monasteries around McL, but it is not uncommon to meet them on the street. They shop, talk on their cell phones, play 29 (a game like pool) and take English lessons. I have many monks and nuns in my conversation classes. This side entrance/exit to the temple leads to the street where the father and daughter musicians were entertaining the crowds of passersby on July 6, the birthday of HH the 14th Dalai Lama, and a great Tibetan restaurant.