On childhood nostalgic memory

Every individual in one way or other had memory to resonance in our life. Albert Einstein said, " Memory is deceptive because it is colored by today's events". Therefore, memory of every people varies from one account of lives to another. Apparently, I had a memory when I was 3-to-4-years-old with my Mom and Dad  during pilgrimage period at Gomphu Kora, ( Name of monastery ) and Chorten Kora, ( Stupa )  in Trashiyangtse Dzongkhag.

Gomphukora Temple. Photo courtesy: Mr. Choki Gyeltshen

Gomphukora Temple, Photo courtesy: Choki Gyeltshen

I cannot exactly remember the year and journeying details account from home  towards that sacred place. But I vividly remembers we were at Gomphu Kora,  receiving blessing and discourse from some important masters which during this write up, I was confirmed by mother that it was from His Eminence Khyabje Namkhai Nyingpo Rimpoche. It was huge maroon colored tents makeshift over all paddy field for blessing and religious ceremonial venue. The people camped in and around monastery and making their own logistic from tarpaulin with  various colors. They came with all bedding and cooking utensils and I remembers that was huge gatherings. As child, I didn't bother listening and praying at ceremonial venue as it I was thinking of child patio ground for playing and most of the time, I was with mom hanging and sitting on her lap and sometimes looking onto  other devotees.  I also flash back clearly the big rivers sounding as that of roaring dragons. And that presently is known as Drangme Chhu, ( name of the river ) flowing beside Gomphu Kora Ney towards Trashigang Chazam side. ( Name of the district and bridge ).

Devotees gathering during Festival. Photo courtesy: Mr. Choki Gyeltshen.

Perhaps I also recalled brown sparkling cliff with pebbles stuck onto each other as it like mosaic formation hanging above Drangmechu. That was observed When I walked out of tent and reaches at edges of paddy fields.  At one point I saw it as pleasure and other as frightening scene; looking through that river beneath cliff. On one account, I clearly remembered, we were travelling to Chorten Kora by DCM or Truck, cannot remembered exactly. Sitting on mother lap and saw there were many passengers on the vehicle, where some had sat on floor and some standing to adjust till Chorten Kora. Now I rewind a memory that my late father was on standing group in the vehicle and passengers were shouting one another to make their own comfortable seat. The atmosphere inside the vehicle floor was noisy and I was at mother lap as she had got bit comfortable seat where she could sat down and provided comfort seat for me as child. And I recapitulates clearly at this moment  like a dream that my father look each time to and fro to me and my mother which I now realized he had unconditional love and care towards us.

Chorten Kora, Photo courtesy:Mr. Choki Gyeltshen

Despite harsh and adventurous travelling, we reached Chorten Kora. Once I entered through stone door gate toward inner side where actual Chorten ( Stupa ) stands; felt amazing height and size hanging onto sky with white reflection. I saw both Chorten and its surround fencing stone walls were all white.   I also saw small temple being built beside this stupa. Large gathering of crowds, roaring rivers with monster cliff,  adventurous journey -seeing all trees movement along road and sawing gorgeous shiny Chorten Kora were my vivid memory normally haunted whenever travelling along this road from Gomphu Kora to Trashiyangtse. 

Now every time I got opportunity to visit Trashi yangtse especially during official tour, at least make a point to visit these places whenever I get time.  So, I paid visit to these sacred places to get blessing and reverberate memory of my late father and the time we family spent together. Even now travelling through this road and its scenic memories kept me illusion of every compounded existence and made me to realized the impermanence of everything.

Ney Dechenphodrang

The weather was clear and morning sun rays looming over Trashiyangtse town. It was 15 day of 9 months in Bhutanese calender and October 16th, 2016 was the day we made short trip to this place. Some people carving stone beside house for construction and few of them just woken and bathing early sun at veranda together with children. Students passes by pedestrian path to, and fro towards respective schools. Booming golden rice field in front of  Belling household with kitchen garden reverberates food security importance.

It was an hour drive from Yangtse town till Womina Prymary School, which is located under Bumdelling gewog. Then one can walk through traditional foot path mostly along the rice field and some time through thick undulating vegetative path. Then you will find three cluster settlements every after 15 to 20 minutes walk. Then approach  suspension bridge and would have to walk little bit upward way and there, one can find a sign board with almost fainted red background with yellow letter indicating clear arrow to this sacred place.

Then after reaching onward to cave, you will hear roaring sound of rivers. There one can see wonderful structure of three storied temple like hanging from cliff looking over rivers, long cypress trees  and other side of vales and mountains. Before step to temple  gate, one should cross small wooden shingle  bridge.

According to care taker, Guru Rimpoche ( Padmasambhava) meditated there for one year and kept body print and many earth treasure that we can get blessed and this was cleary seen at first storey temple. One can also see holy water amazingly come from giant underneath rock beside the temple. Caretaker said, " Traditionally it holds one stored temple built by local people and in 2008, the government built as 3 stored temple."  He says that in the past, very few people used to visit and now frequency and number of people visiting this place has increased. A 5 to 10 minutes walk  away from this sacred place would reached the temple called Zangdo Pelri graciously holding Guru Nangsi Zilnoen statues. But there are also many sacred sites blessed by the 8th century master Padmasambhava along those majestic vales and mountains where one have to walk many hours from Ney Dechen Phodrang accodring to care taker. "But many pilgrimage failed to visit this Neys ( sacred sites) due to lack of time and proper guides," said care taker.

My first-hand true feeling and experiences to this sacred site.

I was bit tired, heated up with some dried sweats clinging on face and moment I heard roaring sound of rivers made me  bit scary  and awful. Then I walked little further and reached plane carved stone on top of this river, found temple at glance fuelling peace on my mind. Then looking again toward river  alongside retaining walls and thick dark vegetation on left hand side gave me frightening,  sense of tingling and numbness bodily experiences. But instantly I realized that deadly evil spirits might have  once heavily inhabited there destroying and giving negative barrier onto Buddha Dharma and therefore, Ugyen Maha Guru ( Padmasambhava) came here and subdued eventually.  This particular thinking at this moment came to my mind because I heard from some learned master during teaching that many evil spirits inhabited in Himalayan region in the past  and Padmasambhava came over,  subdued all to protect and spread Buddha Dharma  for the benefit of all sentient beings. With that instant notion, I suddenly got rid of  fierceness and did visit all 3 stored temple and Zangdopelri  Ney with full joys and happiness.  Then I was praying at last moment to get another opportunity  for blessing and then peacefully returned  with my friends to Trashiyangtse.