Namdroling - The Refuge

Published on: 02/11/2024

Namdroling Monastery with lush gardens and blue sky.

Photo title: Namdroling - The Refuge

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Photo Credits: Preanka Roy

Prayer flags. A permeating quietude. Clouded green hills rolling gently in the distance.

The unmistakable sounds of brass cymbals, horns and bells come through, bearing prayers with the winds. It feels like strolling down a township in Tibet.

The glistening tower top of Bylakuppe’s Golden Temple rises above the valley like a beacon of hope. The locals believe the resounding ceremonial music is “the elixir which defeats death… erases suffering for all… remedies all ailments and bridges people…it is the sacred refuge.”

His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited the monastery to consecrate it in 1961 and bestowed the name Namdroling. Later His Holiness Chatrel Rinpoche named it Thegchog, while Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche blessed it with the name Shedrub and His Holiness himself added Dargyeling. It was strewn together finally to form the complete name - Thegchog Namdrol Shedrub Dargyeling (Land of Increasing Practice and Teaching of the Utmost Yana that achieves spontaneous Liberation). Today it stands as the largest teaching centre of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in the world.

The Nyingma or “order of the ancient learnings” is the oldest of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Founded on the first translations of the Buddhist teachings from Sanskrit to Tibetan in the 8th century, the order has monks draped in red robes. Their teachings are broadly of two types - Kama and Terma. Kama are the profound teachings of the inner tantra as given by Lord Buddha manifesting as Dharmakaya or Sambokaya. While Terma are the “hidden treasures” concealed by Guru Rinpoche for the benefit of future beings.

As I walked through the sky-high gate I was pleasantly greeted by two boy monks. They hurried past, probably late for class. It is customary for the first born male child of a Tibetan family to be made a monk. All young students here engage in prayers from daybreak to midnight.

Home to 16000 locals and hundreds of monks, the Golden Temple complex today has 4 monasteries - Sera, Tashi, Lhunpo, Sakya and Namdroling. In addition it also has a nunnery, junior high school, medical facility, post office and a guest house. Food, clothing, accommodation and education is provided free of cost to monks from Tibet, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia and other parts of the world.

When Lhasa was attacked by China many decades ago, His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled the country with 80,000 Tibetans and sought refuge in India. He requested the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to allot land with a cool climate to his people. Bylakuppe, 33km from Madikeri in Coorg, soon became home to them.

With only ten monks by his side the Padma Norbu Rinpoche arrived in 1961 and started the sacred prayers in a mere tent only 80 sq ft in area. He suffered greatly and took pains to lay the foundation stone of the monastery. The Golden Temple as we know it today came up in 1969.

The L shaped courtyard leads to the main temple building easily. Ornate doors with large gilded knobs, beaded curtains, and murals welcome tourists from all over. As I stepped inside the sheer size of the hall overwhelmed me. As tall as it was wide, the prayer hall could accommodate over a thousand monks in addition to onlookers. Tourists are not allowed inside during ceremonies and it is only the empty space that one is allowed to photograph after noon. The perfect acoustics of the room became evident when a couple of doves came flapping down from the glass windows above. The sound of their wings echoed with precision all around me. It gave me goosebumps to imagine what a prayer ceremony in all its glory would feel like - with hundreds of monks chanting in their deep rumbling voices, accompanied by bugles and bells…what a thunderous chorus it must be!

Golden Buddha statues at Namdroling Monastery.

Photo title: Golden Temple - the three Buddhas

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Photo Credits: Preanka Roy

A Buddha is one who knows the reality, the Wise Ones say.

The most grand sight of them all in Namdroling is of course that of the Buddhas - Guru Padmasbhava, Buddha Sakyamuni and Buddha Amitayus. The first and third statues sit at 58 ft while that of Buddha Sakyamuni sits at 60 ft. Of the 1002 Buddhas who will come to this world during this Fortunate Aeon, Sakyamuni is the fourth. Made of copper and plated with gold, the great statues contain scriptures, relics, small clay stupas, and statues of the Buddha representing body, speech and mind.

I found a quiet spot on the vast floor to sit and study the wall paintings. Apart from the expected depictions I was amazed at the subtle but significant presence of Tantric deities. One of the placards in the hall explained it well,

“You may be surprised to see the deities in their wrathful form and also male and female deities in union. According to Tantric Buddhism peaceful deities wear silk garments and ornaments made of precious metals and stones whereas wrathful deities wear the skins of living beings and bone ornaments…

To shed some light on the topic, the Buddhas appear to be wrathfully holding weapons in their hands and also some male deities entwined with their female counterparts not by their own will but they show these appearances in order to tame the beings of different mentalities…

The Buddhas in union with their consorts represent the need for the union of the compassion and wisdom aspects of the path. Without the union of these two it is impossible to attain enlightenment.”

Reading and wondering to myself as I walked quietly around the hall, I couldn’t help but notice similarities between the statues of Buddha Amitayus and the Maitreya Buddha (in Nubra Valley). Perhaps the name Amitayus has been derived from the Sanskrit “Amrit” and “Ayush”? The expression of eternal bliss, the jewelled crown, the folded fingers touching barely at the tips - I gazed for what seemed like an hour, only to be interrupted rudely by a group of young people who wanted selfies with the Buddha. A few others were chatting rather loudly about lunch.

I tried to isolate my focus on the next placard which said,

“The Buddha Amitayus attained Buddhahood many aeons ago but his activity still remains connected with granting long life and extending the lifespan of beings…Buddha Amitayus resides with his consort Bhadrapalika, his son Chadraprabha and a huge retinue of immortal teachers in the Pure Land of Limitless Virtue.

According to Buddhism the lives of all people become short and they die prematurely due to committing non-virtuous actions. Whosoever hears the name of Buddha Amitayus will have the length of his life extended. When the beings are nearing death, if they touch the letters of Buddha Amitayus’ name or recite his name or mantra, and praise his qualities, their life spans will be extended.

Great benefits are derived from constructing a statue of the Buddha Amitayus, which protects from evil and demonic harm, bringing long life to the genuine worshipper and blessing to the places where the statues are located. Such places become powerful supports for practising dharma.”

The sun was high in the sky when I stepped out. The feverish notes of the prayer song from the building across filled the air with a magnetic mysticism. Driving further away from the Golden Temple brought into view an idyllic landscape. An abundant valley, speckled with huts and small temples, bathed in sunshine.

The visual pulled my mind into a looped thought - is the Pure Land where Buddha Amitayus truly resides?

Preanka Roy

Preanka Roy is an adventurist by chance and a creative director by choice. With years of experience in Advertising, Marketing and Journalism behind her, Preanka has served at prominent organisations across India. An avid reader, author and published poet she enjoys different approaches to creative writing. Her deep love for the forests of South India has inspired her to take on environmental activism and forward the cause of wildlife conservation through photography.

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Namdroling - The Refuge

Preanka Roy